Emergency services were called to the scene at Imperial Dock at around 08.29am on Wednesday.
The massive ship on a dry dock became dislodged from its holding, and images show it lurched towards its righthand side.
The vessel had been placed into long-term moorage at Leith in 2020 due to operational challenges caused by the pandemic. Multiple people are reported to have been injured in the accident, prompting a major rescue operation that is involving ambulances, the fire service, police officers, and an air ambulance.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Officers and emergency service colleagues are responding to an incident at Imperial Dock in Leith, Edinburgh, whereby a ship on dry dock has become dislodged from its holding.
“Police were called to attend at around 8.35am on Wednesday and officers remain at the scene.
“The public are asked to avoid the area to allow emergency service access.”
The RV Petrel had been sitting on the dry dock for a considerable amount of time, and it is unclear what caused it to become dislodged. However, reports suggest that strong winds could have played a role in the incident.
The impact of the dislodged vessel was terrifying for those on board and the emergency services that responded to the call. Councilor Adam McVey described the incident as “terrifying,” and he expressed his thoughts and well wishes for those who were injured. Emergency services worked tirelessly to respond to the incident, dispatching five ambulances, an air ambulance, three trauma teams, a special operations team, three paramedic response units, and a patient transport vehicle.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also mobilised four appliances and a number of specialist resources to assist with the operation. The police were also present to provide support and help manage the situation. It is believed that the dislodged vessel could have caused significant damage to the surrounding area.
