Ferry agency apologises after exhibiting ‘grownup movie’ to ‘screaming’ children throughout journey
Children were left screaming after the ‘hardcore’ film was accidentally aired on public TV screens on the ship from Dieppe, in France, to Newhaven in Sussex
A ferry firm has been forced to make an embarrassing apology after mistakenly screening “hardcore porn” to children.
Children were left “screaming” when an adult film was played on a DFDS ship travelling from Dieppe in France to Newhaven, Sussex.
The shipping company has said it is “very sorry” after the incident.
An “adult film” was mistakenly broadcast on the lounge television to passengers after watching a Formula 1 grand prix.
The bungle caused children on board to be exposed to what one passenger described as “hardcore porn”.
DFDS said the incident took place during a delay, when the ferry was sent back to France because of a technical fault at Newhaven Port.
The company said the crew were “not aware” that the film was due to be broadcast and has removed the channel from a list of available stations.
It said: “Once the crew were alerted to the content, the channel was swiftly changed.
“This will not happen again. We are very sorry for the understandable upset and anger that this caused.”
One passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, described the incident – which happened at the end of October – as “a bit mad”.
He said: “Suddenly, kids ran out of the recliner lounge area screaming.
“Some parents came out and they were asking the man who worked there to sort the TV out, they were saying ‘there’s hardcore porn on the TV’.
“I couldn’t see it, but it was audible.”
The passenger went on to say that a member of staff turned the television off, and added: “I don’t know how it got on there.
“It was a whole mess with the ferry crossing. People were really disgruntled.”
