MV Craigantlet
Encyclopedia
MV Craigantlet was a British
container ship
that ran aground on 26 February 1982 at Killantringan Lighthouse in Portamaggie Bay, Wigtownshire
in southwestern Scotland
. The 800 ton cargo ship was bound to Liverpool
from Belfast
at the time. The lighthouse keeper raised the alarm, and Craigantlet's crew was rescued via airlift by a Sea King
from 829 Squadron based at the stone frigate
HMS Gannet at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport
.
Because the Craigantlet carried some containers marked with hazardous material codes — and reportedly some containers mislabeled as empty that were not — there was concern that a dangerous chemical spill could occur. The immediate area was evacuated and an unmanned warning light was put in place. The containers were successfully removed over the next six weeks. The wreck of the Craigantlet was left in place, and partial remains of the bow were still visible in 2011 during low tide at Killantringan.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
that ran aground on 26 February 1982 at Killantringan Lighthouse in Portamaggie Bay, Wigtownshire
Wigtownshire
Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is a registration county in the Southern Uplands of south west Scotland. Until 1975, the county was one of the administrative counties used for local government purposes, and is now administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway...
in southwestern Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The 800 ton cargo ship was bound to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
at the time. The lighthouse keeper raised the alarm, and Craigantlet's crew was rescued via airlift by a Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
from 829 Squadron based at the stone frigate
Stone frigate
Stone frigate is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French...
HMS Gannet at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport
Glasgow Prestwick International Airport
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is an international airport serving the Greater Glasgow urban area, situated northeast of the town of Prestwick in South Ayrshire and 32 miles from the city centre of Glasgow....
.
Because the Craigantlet carried some containers marked with hazardous material codes — and reportedly some containers mislabeled as empty that were not — there was concern that a dangerous chemical spill could occur. The immediate area was evacuated and an unmanned warning light was put in place. The containers were successfully removed over the next six weeks. The wreck of the Craigantlet was left in place, and partial remains of the bow were still visible in 2011 during low tide at Killantringan.