Collision Aftermath The collision between the cruise liner Norwegian Dream and the container vessel Ever Decent off the coast of Kent in the early hours of Tuesday 24 August 1999 comes as a sharp reminder of how important it is to be prepared for large-scale evacuations. Fortunately on this occasion, the liner was able to limp to Dover and land her 2,000 passengers safely. However, the fire aboard the container ship which is still not confirmed as extinguished as we go to press three days after the collision, kept the crews of Margate, Ramsgate and Dover lifeboats at sea for 36 hours.

We hope in a future issue to include a full account of the lifeboats' involvement which at one point required the Ramsgate lifeboat to takesix non-essential crew off the Ever Decent as the fire was threatening to spread. Had a mass-evacuation of the cruise liner been necessary, the Dover Severn class is capable of carrying 185 survivors, the Ramsgate Trent 102 and the Margate Mersey 61. Lifeboats stationed along the Channel coast regularly participate in disaster exercises arranged by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency..