Douglas Henderson, captain of the dredger Bowbell, which was involved in the 1989 Marchioness disaster that claimed 51 lives, has been fined for refusing a breathalyzer test suspected of being under the influence while on duty. He was arrested on July 21, 2024, aboard the MV Velox. Although jurors could not reach a verdict on charges of negligence related to the Marchioness incident, his refusal to take a breath test resulted in a £281 fine. Judy Wellington, a mother who lost her son in the disaster, expressed her disgust at Henderson’s conviction and the emotional pain it reignited.
The captain of a dredger involved in the 1989 Marchiones disaster has been fined for refusing to take a breathalyzer test despite being suspected of having consumed alcohol on duty.
Douglas Henderson, from Redcar, North Yorkshire, was captain of the dredger Bowbell on the River Thames just before 2am on 20 August 1989 when his vessel collided with the pleasure boat Marchioness.
A total of 51 of the 132 passengers and crew on board died, making it one of Britain’s worst civilian maritime disasters in modern times.
Now, Mr. Henderson is once again being dragged into court.
The captain was arrested aboard the MV Velox on July 21, 2024, after customs officials conducting a routine inspection of the ship reported that Henderson was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.
He was found guilty of failing to provide a sample at a police station and fined £281 at Hull Magistrates on September 11, the Mirror reported.
Jurors twice failed to reach a verdict on charges of failing to keep a proper watch in relation to his role as Marchioness, despite him having drunk six pints of lager in the three hours before the crash.
And the mother of one of the Marchioness’s victims spoke of her “disgust” at Mr Henderson’s recent conviction.
Judy Wellington, from Greenford, Middlesex, lost her son Simon Senior, 20, in a horrific boating accident.
Douglas Henderson, captain of the dredger Bowbelle, which collided with the pleasure boat Marchioness in 1989, photographed in 2000.
Elsa Garcia (left) was one of the 51 people who lost their lives when the Marchioness sank. Sean Lockwood Croft (right) also died.
The photos are of survivors of the disaster. Less than two-thirds of those on board survived that night’s accident.
When informed of Henderson’s latest conviction by reporters, she said she was “horrified and disgusted.” I am very hurt and upset about this. I lost my eldest son. He was just starting out in life. It was taken away from him.
Asked about not taking a breathalyzer test, Henderson said reporters “got the facts wrong.”
He added: “I have nothing more to say.” Can’t we just be adults about this? ”
After the disaster, it was discovered that nearly half of the Marquise’s victims had had their hands secretly amputated in a chaotic and botched identification process.