MOMENT BILLIONAIRE MICROSOFT FOUNDER'S SHIP BLOWS OVER HOSPITALISING 21

A total of 33 people were injured when a ship tipped over in a dry dock in Leith, Edinburgh, on Wednesday morning and 21 are in hospital, the Scottish Ambulance Service has confirmed. The huge boat was reportedly carrying 50 people when the ship toppled.The Ambulance service deployed significant resources in the wake of the incident.A statement from the Ambulance service stated: "We received a call at 0829 hours today to attend an incident in Leith. We dispatched 12 ambulances, an air ambulance, three trauma teams, our special operations team (SORT), three Paramedic Response Units (PRU) and three patient transport vehicles."We transported 21 patients to hospital; 15 to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, four to Western General Hospital and two to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. A further 12 patients were treated and discharged at the scene."

A rescue operation was launched at the Imperial Dock area in Leith.

The ship, a research vessel named RV Petrel, is owned by the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

James Walsh, 39, is a scaffolder on the docks and was working nearby when he heard a "loud noise".

He told the PA news agency: "It wasn't as noisy as you would think, for the catastrophe that it could possibly be.

"We stopped what we were doing. I'm the foreman, so I just evaluated the situation, we were on the docks further up and we were advised we were fine where we were."

He spoke to another who knows the vessel well: "He had just put his tool bag down and thought 'I'm going to nip to the toilet', went away to the toilet, and he said he doesn't know where his workmates were."

"It's scary. Very scary. Just makes you evaluate everything really," Mr Walsh said.

"No-one goes to work to be involved in any kind of accident.

"It's so scary that you go to work and something like that can possibly happen. It's bad enough having a near accident, that's scary enough, or a minimal accident, but something like that in this day and age."

One witness on Twitter, Dan Walker, said: "Looks like a major incident in progress in Leith docks, multiple fire and ambulances on site ship in dry dock leaning at 45-degree angle.

"Air Ambulance in attendance now also."

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed more than three crews attended the incident.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Officers and emergency service colleagues are responding to an incident at Imperial Dock in Leith, Edinburgh, whereby a ship on dry dock has become dislodged from its holding.

"Police were called to attend at around 8.35am on Wednesday and officers remain at the scene.

"The public are asked to avoid the area to allow emergency service access.

Adam McVey, a local councillor, said that the ship was dislodged due to strong winds.

He tweeted: "Emergency services are responding to a major incident at Leith docks - a ship has been dislodged from its holding in strong winds.

"Terrifying for those on board, my thoughts are with those who've been injured & hope everyone recovers quickly. Please avoid area."

Wind speeds of 38mph was recorded in Edinburgh at 8am on Wednesday, whilst a 44mph wind was recorded an hour later, according to Met Office data.

Police Scotland said all casualties were removed by 1.20pm and officers remain at the scene.

Superintendent Mark Rennie said: "There is no risk to the wider public and inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what has happened. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed."

NHS Lothian earlier noted that it was "on standby to receive a number of patients" at the A&E department at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary from the scene and requested that others not to attend unless in an emergency.

2023-03-22T09:40:21Z dg43tfdfdgfd