Research Vessel Tips Over in Dry Dock 25 Injured

An advanced research vessel, formerly owned by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul Allen, tipped over in dry dock, injuring 25 people. The vessel was purchased by the U.S. Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in 2022.

On March 22, Reuters reported that 25 people were injured when the vessel dislodged from its supports and tilted onto its side at a dry dock in Leith, Scotland. The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that 15 people were taken to the hospital, while 10 were treated and released at the scene.

Images shared on Twitter showed the large vessel leaning precariously in the dry dock. A local councilor suggested that strong winds may have caused the incident.

The vessel in question is the research ship Petrel, which overturned at the dry dock near Edinburgh, Scotland. Medical officials at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, which received 11 patients, urged the public to avoid its emergency department due to the influx of victims from the accident.

The incident prompted a major emergency response, with five ambulances, an air ambulance, three trauma teams, and other specialists dispatched to the scene at approximately 8:30 a.m. GMT.

Edinburgh Police confirmed that the vessel had broken free from its moorings at Imperial Dock in Leith, near Edinburgh.