PASSENGERS were left stranded on an island after an early-morning ferry was suddenly removed from service because several crew members had allegedly failed breath tests.

Paul Graham was among those waiting to board the 7am Caledonian MacBrayne vessel from Port Ellen, Islay, to Kennacraig on Tuesday when the sailing was cancelled.

Mr Graham, a member of Islay and Jura Marketing group, from Bruichladdich, Islay, said: “At 6.35am I noticed a chap in a white shirt wander into the office and come out with a bag and quickly realised it was a breathalyser that was going on to the vessel.”

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“Next thing, the marshalling staff went and got still water to hand out to foot passengers and said there was a technical delay and engineers were working on it. Then, about 6.45am, the chap had gone back into the pier office and a few moments later the staff approached vehicle drivers and said, ‘sorry, the vessel is not sailing for technical reasons and we have rebooked you on the 9.45am sailing’. During the later sailing a chap I know from Islay asked what I thought about the breathalyser, as that was why we were delayed.”

“There have been instances before when crew have been breathalysed and suspended, but to my knowledge it hasn’t stopped the sailing of the vessel. You can lose one, but if you lose five crew then than kind of number does affect the operational ability of the vessel.”

Under strict company rules, ferry staff docked overnight are not allowed to consume or buy alcohol ahead of sailings and CalMac carries out random breath testing on all crew members.

Drink-drive limits for professional mariners are broadly similar to those for Scotland’s motorists.Under international maritime law any sailor caught over the limit of 25 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath or 50 milli-grammes in every 100 millilitres of blood is liable for prosecution.

The cancelled ferry was the MV Isle of Arran, which had been in dry dock in Greenock for repairs before sailing to Islay on Monday night.

Islay McEachern, chairman of Islay Ferry Committee, said: “We heard it was technical difficulties but then this other rumour came out. The group emailed CalMac saying they had been informed ‘several crew members had been found to be above the permitted alcohol limit’. The response from the company failed to confirm or deny this, but simply said it was ‘an operational matter’.”

A CalMac spokesman said: “We can confirm MV Isle of Arran was taken out of service due to a personnel matter concerning a number of individuals. Formal investigations are under way and it is inappropriate to comment further on that matter. We regret some passengers experienced inconvenience.

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“As a responsible ferry operator and employer, we take the safety of our passengers, crews and vessels extremely seriously, and will not hold back from doing whatever is required to achieve that.” 

“All staff, whether on shore or at sea, know what is expected of them and the consequences of failing to meet the high standards of behaviour set by the company.”

Sergeant Iain MacNicol, of Police Scotland, said: “We haven’t been made aware of any incident involving CalMac at Port Ellen.”