Some 79 castaways, abandoned on a remote island for two nights when their ferry to the mainland broke down, will finally return home tonight.
Of the group 20 were forced to sleep on camp beds in a church when their ferry broke down leaving them trapped on Lundy Island, 12 miles of the coast of Devon.
Others stayed in 23 properties, a campsite, Wheelhouse and Volunteers’ lodge for two nights when the MS Oldenburg suffered a major mechanical failure on Saturday.
Stranded visitors stayed in 23 properties, a campsite, Wheelhouse and Volunteers’ lodge when the MS Oldenburg suffered a major mechanical failure on Saturday
Some were left to sleep on the floor of the island pub, the Marisco Tavern, but each visitor was offered all the food and drink they wanted.
The MS Oldenburg has now been fixed and will return the castaways to Bideford, north Devon, by 7.30pm tonight.
Island spokesman Vanessa Shaw said: ‘The Oldenburg will sail from Ilfracombe later this morning and passengers will board the ship from the Lundy jetty around 5pm.
The MS Oldenburg has now been fixed and will return the castaways to Bideford, north Devon, by 7.30pm tonight
‘It is expected to arrive into Bideford around 7.30pm tonight. Given the tide times the ship cannot arrive in the harbour any earlier than that.
‘The sailing will take around two hours and conditions look fine. We would like to thank all the guests for their patience and understanding over the last few days.’
Owen Polley, 35, from Bristol, was one of the people stuck on the island.
Owen arrived on Lundy with his mum for a surprise two-night trip on Thursday and spent Saturday night in a shared room with five strangers.
He said: ‘We started hearing whispers about problems with the boat around lunch time on Saturday.
‘Then, rather than head down to the jetty, we were all told to go to the tavern.
Owen Polley, 35, from Bristol, was one of the people stuck on the remote island (pictured). Owen arrived on Lundy with his mum for a surprise two-night trip on Thursday and spent Saturday night in a shared room with five strangers
‘They told us that the boat had broken and we couldn’t get home. They said they were sorting out accommodation for us but it is obviously very limited out here.
‘There are double the amount of people here that they can usually accommodate so they really had to squeeze people in.’
Owen said about 20 people slept on makeshift beds in the island’s church while others slept in the tavern.
He said: ‘I was quite lucky as I was able to share a room in a holiday let with five other people.
‘Everyone has been amazing. Staff have given up their rooms to allow people to stay there and we’ve all been given free meals and drinks.
‘We’ve been making the most of it and have definitely made a few friends.’
A small number of visitors who had to return to the mainland urgently, including an eye surgeon and a patient with a scheduled operation, were transported back by lifeboat yesterday.
The rest of the stranded group are due to be rescued later today.
Evacuee Jo King said: “They said there was a problem with the boat – they couldn’t moor it properly – and they were worried it was going to break up overnight.
“They were concerned the boat mattered most and we wouldn’t be going back as planned.”
Mrs King and her husband Derek spent Saturday night in a room in the island’s dairy.
Mr King said: “It was very comfortable. There were people sleeping in the church, and in the old barn. But we were fortunate to end up in the dairy, which was as good as the accommodation we’d paid for.”
Lundy is a three-mile long island off the North Devon coast in the Bristol Channel.
The island has been inhabited for 3,000 years with traces of Bronze and Iron Age settlements and has a current population of about 28.
It got its current name from the Vikings in the 9th Century, who called it Lund-ey, meaning Puffin Island.
The island was sold in 1954 for £150,000 to the Landmark Trust and is kept as a “tranquil and unaffected place”.
The Landmark Trust, which leases the island, found extra accommodation for those stranded in the island’s lodges, campsite, wheelhouse, pub and church.
A spokesman said: “The people are still here and we gave them all a free breakfast earlier and they have now gone out walking.
“Once they got over the initial hassle of it all they are enjoying their extra time on the island.
“There are only 28 of us who live on the island so we are dealing with a massive number of extra people that we were not expecting.
‘The rest of the properties were already all full which is why it has been so difficult but we are helping to straighten everything out and they should be able to get away later today.”
On Saturday morning we reported that the MS Oldenburg had a mechanical problem during a large swell and rough conditions.
The coastguard confirmed that those onboard had been transported back to the island safely.
A spokesman for the island added: ‘The Lundy team identified spaces for everyone to stay overnight in the 23 properties, campsite, Wheelhouse, Church and Volunteers’ lodge.
‘All guests were made as comfortable as possible and given warm bedding and all the food and drink they needed.
‘Thank you to everyone involved, including HM Coastguard and all the passengers and guests.’