SCILLONIAN III

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Ferry sidelined due to propeller problem

The 'Scillionian III', serving on the route Penzance - Isles of Scilly, will not return back to service on March 19, 2025 as originally anticipated. Since March 10, the vessel had to undergo repairs in Falmouth, with essential work still ongoing to address a port-side propeller shaft misalignment. Additional time was required to complete these repairs to ensure the vessel’s long-term reliability. Engineering teams, alongside specialist contractors, were working to complete the repairs as quickly as possible. All affected passengers were contacted directly by the Passenger Relations team and getting offered the following options: - Skybus Upgrade – Passengers can transfer to a Skybus flight at no extra cost. - Rescheduling – Passengers may choose to move their booking to a later sailing. - Day Trip Cancellations – Regrettably, all day trip bookings will be cancelled. Our team will be in touch to arrange a full refund or assist with rebooking for a future date. For those transferring to a Skybus flight, transport between Penzance and Land’s End Airport was provided where needed.

Ferry suffered mechanical issue

Upon the return from St Mary’s on the evening of Aug 31, 2024, the 'Scillonian III' encountered a mechanical issue which requiredthe vessel to run at a reduced speed. As a result day trips have been cancelled. To assist with a prompt departure on Sep 1, passengers were requested to check in and embarkation at 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Evacuation from Isles of Scilly following ferry breakdown

An evacuation from the Isles of Scilly was underway as 18 emergency flights were scheduled to bring stranded holidaymakers back to the mainland after the "Scillonian III" broke down on Aug 28, experiencing a double engine failure while on its way from the mainland forcing it to turn back to Penzance. The only other way to get on and off the island 28 miles off of Land’s End was via small aircraft that seat a maximum of 18 people. The breakdown meant hotels were left overflowing and tourists stranded. In a bid to get 400 of the 1,300 ferry customers that were affected by the breakdown home, Isle of Scilly Travel scheduled 18 flights on Sep 1. The "Scillonian III" was also back in action, taking its first trip since the incident at 3.30 p.m. and was expected to do a double sailing on Sep 2 to cope with the backlog of customers. There were an additional 34 Skybus Islander and Twin Otter flights put on between Aug 29 and the evening of Aug 31. A further 700 passengers that were due to have sailed have been were transferred via scheduled or additional flights.