An investigation into the grounding of the Ben my Chree last year won't be going beyond the preliminary stage.

The vessel hit a shallow patch of sand shortly after leaving Heysham harbour in the early hours of November 3, an hour before a very low spring tide.

The United Kingdom's Marine Investigation Branch has completed a report ito the incident, and has concluded there is no need to take the matter further.

Graham Bell reports (text of attached audio file):

The report says large amounts of silt from a new offshoot to the River Lune have been deposited in the approach channel to Heysham in recent years, and navigational buoys have been moved accordingly.

The vessel ran aground on one of the few occasions in 2006 that sailing or arriving times co-incided with a very low tide.

The MAIB has advised the Steam Packet and the Heesham Port authorities on minimum acceptable under keel clearance. It has also told the Packet it should change schedules when sailing times coincide with low water spring tides.

The Ben my Chree was refloated on the next tide and a survey showed no damage to the ship.

(Picture: The Ben my Chree arriving in Douglas, from manxscenes.com).