'The port closed without any notice' - Ferry passenger on being 'stranded' in middle of Irish Sea during Storm Claudia

""The journey to Holyhead was okay, a few rough bumps but I expected worse," he said. "We got pretty close to Holyhead when the captain told us the port was closed without any notice of when it would open, only that we'd have to wait for conditions to improve." Mr Reilly said the captain and crew onboard were very apologetic and even provided passengers with complimentary cabins and dinners. "Outside it was very wild looking," he added."

"The Irish Independent contacted Stena Line for comment regarding its operations overnight and into Saturday. The company confirmed that a number of ferries between Dublin and Holyhead were cancelled on Friday. "Because of the adverse weather conditions, we cancelled a number of sailings on the route," a spokesperson for the ferry operator stated. Routes will recommence "as soon as is safe to do so", they added, after judgements are made on prevailing weather conditions and when the port of Holyhead reopens after closing yesterday."

"Sailing conditions were choppy in the sea as a result of adverse conditions brought about by high winds and heavy rainfall from Storm Claudia which affected eastern and southern counties the worst. Status Orange and Yellow rain and wind warnings were in place since the early afternoon and promised to make both terrestrial and marine travel challenging. John Reilly from Mayo was aboard a Stena Line ferry from Dublin to Holyhead in Wales"

Sailing conditions were choppy due to high winds and heavy rainfall from Storm Claudia, which affected eastern and southern counties most severely. Status Orange and Yellow rain and wind warnings were in place from the early afternoon, making both land and marine travel challenging. A Dublin–Holyhead Stena Line ferry carrying John Reilly, his wife and a three-month-old baby stopped mid-journey when Holyhead port closed without a reopening time. Crew provided complimentary cabins and dinners. The vessel remained at sea from about 4pm to 10pm after the captain reported 64-knot winds at Holyhead. Stena Line confirmed multiple cancellations and said services will resume when safe.

Read at Irish Independent