Truck drivers stranded at sea after cargo ferry forced to drop anchor in Dublin Bay due to ‘technical difficulties’

A group of truckers have been stranded at sea for three days after the cargo ferry they were travelling on broke down in Dublin Bay.

The P&O Ferries ship, the Mistral, left Liverpool on Thursday morning but ran into technical difficulties and were forced to drop anchor near its destination of Dublin Port.

As well as the crew, five HGV drivers and around 80 unaccompanied trailers are on board the vessel.

One of the drivers, Przemyslaw Piotrowski, told Dublin Live he has no idea when he will get home to see his family.

He said: “They said they will try and pull us in on Sunday but they only tell us maybe.”

The drivers are being provided with food and drinks on the ferry but there is no hot water on the boat.

With nighttime temperatures plummeting, drivers also had to be given extra blankets to keep themselves warm.

“It was cold but they’ve given us electric heaters for the rooms and now this room is not too bad,” said Przemyslaw.

“But there is no hot water, only cold, and that’s no good.”

The frustrated trucker had plans to spend time with his wife and children in Dublin and do some Christmas shopping this weekend but has been left angry that he has been left stranded with officials unable to tell him when he will get to go home.

“We still don’t have complete information. We’re told maybe we’re going tomorrow but it’s not 100% and we have no information.”

A P&O Ferries spokesman told Dublin Live the boat will be towed ashore as soon as the weather allows.

He said: “Owing to technical difficulties and poor weather at Dublin, a freight ship travelling from Liverpool with five drivers on board has been safely anchored off the port since Thursday morning.

“The passengers have been provided with food and beverages throughout and the ship will be towed into the port by tugs as soon as weather permits.”