The Disaster
As queues began to form, people became impatient and pushed their way on to the boat before those already onboard had a chance to disembark. Heavily overloaded, the ferry set off with more than 70 people on board.
After several days of rain, the river was swollen and fast flowing. The boat started to list as it moved into mid-stream. The tension on the ropes was too great and they were cast off, causing the boat to drift towards the sea.
As she capsized, over half the passengers were able to swim to safety but 32 people – most of whom were from Aberdeen – lost their lives.
Read more about this topic: River Dee Ferry Boat Disaster
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