In the North Channel a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers narrowly avoided smashing into a British nuclear-powered submarine killing many and sparking a maritime disaster.

A ferry officer, reports BelfastLive, spotted the nuke sub's periscope at the last minute and took action to avoid the collision in the Irish Sea two years ago, an investigation has discovered.

The near-disaster happened in 2018 but the results of a two year probe into what could have been the worst sea disaster to hit the UK in many years was released only last night.

The ferry usually operates between Northern Ireland and Scotland, carrying up to 1300 passengers and 660 cars between Belfast and Cairnyan.

The submarine was on patrol having recently left its base at Faslane, in Scotland.

The crew of the partially submerged Royal Navy nuclear submarine had underestimated the speed of the Stena Superfast V11 vessel.

They had thought they were 1,000 yards from the oncoming ferry and in trying to avoid it, turned towards it. The investigation discovered they were only 250 yards from it.

For further reading into the incident click here.