The Steam Packet says it is speaking to owners of vehicles damaged during a rough ferry crossing at the weekend.

A number of bikes and cars were damaged during a Manannan sailing to Liverpool in a force 8 gale on Saturday morning.

In a statement, the Steam Packet said: ’Some damage was caused to a few bikes and some cars on Saturday. We are dealing directly with those passengers involved.’

But one of the passengers who claims his car was damaged when ceiling panels from the Manannan came down, said he has had no contact from the Steam Packet.

Graham Clarke, who has been visiting the island for more than half a century, said he was told 22 cars were damaged and he estimated the total cost of repairs for these vehicles would run into tens of thousand of pounds.He told Manx Radio: ’In my opinion that ferry should not have sailed.

’It should have waited. They knew there was a force 8 forecast.

’I hadn’t even realised that my car had been damaged but when I looked some of the roof panels in the upper deck had come down in the storm.’

He said these panels had bounced on his car’s roof and gone down the side but the crew had removed them so there was no obvious sign of what had happened.

He said the passengers were told to drive their damaged vehicles down to the lower car deck and wait in line until the chief officer and other crew members came round.

They handed out damage forms and a printed letter which recommended the passengers contact their insurer to facilitate necessary repairs.

’It didn’t say they were liable. And that was our only contact with the chief officer. The letter was the last contact I’ve had with the Steam Packet,’ said Mr Clarke.

In its terms and conditions of carriage the Steam Packet states: ’The Company accepts no responsibility for any vehicular accidents which occur on or around the vessel howsoever caused.’

It reminds passengers to have appropriate insurance in place.