U.S. Navy Officials Heading to Scotland to Investigate R/V Petrel Dry Dock Incident - USNI News

The Navy has launched its own investigation into what led a service-owned research vessel to topple over while in dry dock in Scotland.

R/V Petrel violently slipped off its supports in the dry dock and ended up on a 45 degrees list while in dry dock at Imperial Dock in Leith, Edinburgh, injuring at least 33 people, USNI News previously reported. The ship, now owned by the Navy, was used in several shipwreck research missions when it was owned by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center is leading the investigation for the Navy, spokesperson James Stossel told USNI News.

The Navy bought the ship in September for $12.4 million, which was considered under market value, commercial shipping experts have told USNI News. The ship had previously been owned and operated by the parent company Vulcan, the oceanography research group founded by Allen, until 2020. The ship was laid up in Scotland since it was owned by Vulcan.