Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

News Event

Friday, August 30, 1968 @ 0800
DATE is correct but ACTUAL TIME is not known - any TIME SHOWN is our estimate for guidance only 		UGANDA ((1951- 1986 Passenger (700) / refrigerated cargo liner 517 feet long of British India Steam Navigation Company / P & O, London) Own Page

British India's UGANDA returns to Greenock from a cruise with a Portuguese stowaway
Ship's locationGreenock (Scotland U.K.)Port of RegistryLondon (England, UK)
Gross Tonnage14,464

   Crowds of parents and sightseers were at the Scott Lithgow repair berth at Greenock to welcome the British India Educational cruise ship UGANDA and her 893 schoolchildren passengers as she returned from a 14-day cruise to Spain, Portugal and North Africa.

   On the outward leg of the voyage two children became ill with appendicitis and, on the orders of the ship’s Doctor, they were landed at Lisbon, the first port of call, and were taken to hospital.

   UGANDA continued on the cruise and, incredibly, on the return journey, another two children became ill with appendicitis and the ship was diverted to Vigo where the patients were landed and taken to hospital.

   Later an unknown youth was seen to be walking around the decks and, on being questioned, admitted that he was Portuguese, 20 years old and had boarded the ship at Lisbon by mingling with a group of children who were returning to the ship, and had hidden in one of the lifeboats for 17 hours until UGANDA was well at sea.

   The stowaway was removed by Greenock Police and returned to the ship for her leaving on her next cruise, which calls also at Lisbon, and he will be put ashore then.