Ferry crash report blames captain

There were 489 passengers and 159 crew on board the ferry

The "flawed" docking of a ferry by its captain contributed to the vessel crashing into a harbour wall and injuring 30 people, a report has said.

The P&O Ferries ship the Pride of Provence hit the breakwater at the eastern entrance to Dover Harbour in Kent, on 18 April.

A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said passengers and crew were thrown to the deck by the collision.

As a result two people suffered major injuries and 28 people suffered minor ones.

The master's approach was not planned in detail and was flawed Marine Accident Investigation report

The report said: "The principal cause of the accident was poor communication and passage planning, and disorientation of the master (captain).

"Although the master briefed his bridge team on his intended approach and pre-berthing manoeuvre, the briefing was rudimentary and did not give key team members the information they needed to monitor the approach.

"The master's approach was not planned in detail and was flawed: he did not show positive control of the navigation, and did not allow sufficiently for the effect of the tidal stream and wind."

The 28,559-tonne Pride of Provence was arriving in Dover from Calais carrying 489 passengers and 159 crew when the incident happened in the early evening.

At the time the weather was good with clear visibility.

P&O Ferries and Dover Harbour Board put in place procedures to avoid similar accidents in the future, the report said.

These include relevant staff refreshing their knowledge of tidal flows near the harbour entrance.

P&O said the captain was suspended following the accident and has since resigned and taken early retirement.