Scillonian III completes final voyage after nearly 50 years
The ferry Scillonian III has completed its final voyage between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly after nearly 50 years, having carried more than 5 million people.
How it was covered
- ITV carried 56% of the airtime and concentrated on the end of an era and the Scillonian 4 replacement.
- Channel 5 concentrated on the last voyage and its 5 million passengers, with no replacement details.
- BBC News, BBC One, Channel 4, GB News and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
The ferry Scillonian III has made its final voyage after nearly 50 years serving Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The vessel carried more than 5 million people between Cornwall and the islands over that period. ITV reported that it had connected generations of islanders, visitors and businesses.
ITV also reported that the Scillonian III has been replaced by the Scillonian 4, which is due to enter service next spring. Channel 5 described the departure as 'anchors away for the very last time'.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Over nearly 50 years, the ferry carried more than 5 million passengers between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. | ||
| The Scillonian III ferry is making its final voyage today. | ||
| Only on one channel | ||
| The ferry is being replaced by the Scillonian IV, which is due to enter service next spring. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 treated the story as a brief end-of-bulletin item, framing the final voyage as the end of an era. It stressed the ferry's 50-year role connecting islanders, visitors and businesses and added the forward-looking detail that a replacement is due next spring.
- “The Solonian 3 is making its final voyage today after connecting generations of islanders, visitors and businesses.”
- “It's been replaced by the Solonian 4, which is due to enter service next spring.”
- “over nearly 50 years has ferried more than 5 million people between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”
5 News ran the story as a short final item, with a lighter, colloquial tone and the farewell phrase 'anchors away'. It focused on the last voyage and the passenger total, without mentioning the replacement vessel or its introduction date.
- “And finally, it is anchors away for the very last time for the Scillonian, the third.”
- “For over nearly 50 years, the ferry has carried more than 5 million people between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”
- “It made its final voyage today.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.