The Manxman’s arrival in Douglas was delayed on Sunday evening due to dense fog.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s flagship vessel had departed from Heysham earlier in the afternoon and was initially due to dock at around 6pm. However, low visibility around the harbour prevented the ship from entering Douglas Bay as scheduled.

Residents in the area reported hearing the vessel’s foghorn after mist rolled in across the bay.

A large cruise ship was also anchored in Douglas Bay around the time the fog swept in on Sunday.

A passenger told Isle of Man Today that an announcement on board indicated the crew might wait until low tide if conditions did not improve, as it would make entering the port easier.

Shortly before 6.30pm, the ship’s captain informed passengers via the public address system that an attempt had been made to enter the harbour, but worsening visibility – down to less than 100 metres – made it unsafe to proceed.

A further docking attempt was made at around 7.20pm but was also aborted.

The captain later advised passengers that another attempt would be made at approximately 8.30pm. However, visibility improved during the following hour and the crew decided to make an earlier approach.

Shrouded in fog, the Manxman slowly moved into Douglas Harbour and successfully docked just after 8pm.

It is understood that passengers were advised by crew that the vessel would not return to Heysham under any circumstances and would remain off the island’s coast until conditions allowed a safe arrival.