Toilet implicated in ferry crash
Being stuck in the toilet is embarrassing and inconvenient at the best of times.
But being marooned in the loo could have catastrophic consequences if you were urgently required elsewhere, say, at the helm of a boat.
This is what happened to the captain of a Finnish ferry this summer. When answering the call of nature in the ship’s toilet, the lock jammed and the boat slammed on to a rock.
One member of staff managed to slow the island-hopping tourist ferry down, but the vessel was badly damaged in the crash.
Jan Sundell, head of the investigation, said: “The captain was stuck in the toilet. As soon as the staff member got the door open, it was too late.”
The incident happened near the shore of Finland's capital city Helsinki. Several of the 54 passengers on board sustained bruises and some tableware was broken, but there were no serious injuries.
No doubt the captain was embarrassed and traumatised by the incident, but worse was to come. Coastguards are now investigating whether or not his actions in leaving his post and becoming locked in the loo amounted to criminal endangerment.
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