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Introduction
On 8th August 2023, the scheduled route of a cruise ferry was altered, diverting from Plymouth, England to Port Brest, France. This change came as a precautionary response to an outbreak of food poisoning symptoms among crew members.
Details of the Incident
While on its journey, it was reported that 34 crew members fell ill, displaying symptoms consistent with food poisoning. No passengers were affected. Given the situation, the decision was made to redirect the ship to Port Brest, where medical facilities were arranged to treat the affected crew. Upon docking, several ambulances were stationed quayside to expedite the provision of medical care.
Brittany Ferries’ announcement onboard on 8th August clarified the situation for passengers: “Due to sickness among several crew members, the ship was diverted to Brest. After attendance by medical staff and the French authorities, the ship has now been cleared to leave. Her arrival in Plymouth is now expected around 10 pm.”
Operational Context
The ferry was on a scheduled Spain-UK route. It left Santander on 7th August at 16:00 UTC, docked in Brest on 8th August at 9:35 UTC, and departed at 14:21 UTC. The vessel arrived in Plymouth later that evening, at 9:35 UTC, and departed for France (Roscoff) on 9th August at 00:23 UTC, where it reached its destination at 6:43 UTC.