Former war correspondent felt she would die during 'harrowing' Irish Ferries journey

Ray Managh

A former war zone correspondent for NBC has told a judge she feared she was going to die in raging seas when Irish Ferries vessel MV Epsilon was dramatically tossed around during Storm Imogen almost 10 years ago.

Retired journalist Susan Burt (75) said in the Circuit Civil Court on Wednesday that she, her partner Chris Sawyer and seven passengers from Co Mayo had felt they were not going to survive during what she described as a horrific nightmare over three days when the Epsilon had been unable to dock anywhere during a three-day journey from Cherbourg to Dublin.

Barrister John Wilde Crosbie, counsel for Ms Burt told Judge Christopher Callan the vessel had been forced to sail back and forth during the storm until the weather improved and it could continue to Dublin. It had set out on February 7th, 2016 and had not docked in Dublin a day late on the 9th.

“The vessel lurched so violently that people were screaming,” Burt, who lives in England and Brussels, told the court. “Things were flying through the air, dishes were smashing and furniture sliding up and down decks and cabin floors. As the ship would roll we had to crawl.”

She said the ship would turn over so far after being hit by huge waves that passengers felt it would capsize. It seemed to go on forever.

“It was a very long drawn out harrowing and awful experience,” she told Mr Crosbie, who appeared with Evan O’Dwyer of O’Dwyer Solicitors, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.

“I thought I was going to die. I felt ‘this is it,’” she said. “We were being thrown about and our car was absolutely squashed as vehicles criss-crossed the car deck.”

In 2023 Noel Rowland, of Bridgemount, Belcarra, Castlebar, Co Mayo, his wife, and three children, Florence, Beau and Jude, now all resident in Brussels; Chris Sawyer, also Brussels, and two other passengers also living in Brussels but with Irish connections, settled their claims against Irish Ferries.

At that time the court approved settlement offers of €14,500 each for the three Rowland children. Other settlements were not disclosed. Ms Burt’s claim was put back until today for full trial.

Cross-examined by defence barrister Roisin Haughey, who appeared with Noble shipping Law Solicitors for Irish Ferries, Ms Burt said she had not developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and had not been physically injured during the harrowing experience.

Psychological experts for both parties put the absence of PTSD and her not having a requirement for medication down to her stoic attitude and impressive personal coping ability. Her counsel said she had nevertheless suffered psychological damage as a result of her experience.

Judge Callan reserved judgment on his assessment of damages in a case in which Irish Ferries had conceded liability.