Harwich ferry emergency as boat holed after striking quay The Sirena Seaways ferry after it collided with the dock at the quay in Parkeston. Photograph: EPA/RNLI A ferry carrying almost 500 passengers struggled to stay upright on Saturday afternoon after striking a dock and letting in water. The Sirena Seaways ferry struck the quay at Parkeston, near Harwich in Essex, just after midday , but the leak was "quickly stopped" and there were no reported injuries or pollution, Thames Coastguard said. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the vessel listing to its port side in Parkeston Quay after the accident. Eric Chalmers, who was at the scene, said the ferry was "only just" upright in the water. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said that "no one is trapped" and "there are no casualties," but said there was "damage to the ship under the water line." An incident report stated: "Firefighters were sent to assist at the scene while the ship's crew plugged the hole from inside and built a compartment with watertight doors to stem the leak as part of regular safety precautions. Passengers and their vehicles are still on board but in no danger, and the vessel will shortly be re-berthed so that they can continue their journey. Station officer Terry Jewell said: "This is one of the regular ferries that comes into Harwich and as it docked it hit the side of the quay, making a hole under the water line. The ship is stable now and we are standing by as a precaution while the vessel is moved so that ramps can come down and passengers can leave. The ship's crew worked swiftly to put their safety plans into practice immediately after the accident happened. Sirena Seaways is part of the ferry operator DFDS Seaways which travels from the UK to France, Holland and Denmark. DFDS Seaways said in a statement: "We are currently assessing the situation before it is able to resume its service on the Harwich-Esbjerg route. We would like to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused to their travel plans.