A ferry company has issued an apology after an adult film was mistakenly broadcast to passengers, leaving children “screaming” during a journey from France to Sussex.
DFDS said it was “very sorry” following the incident, which occurred on board its vessel travelling from Dieppe to Newhaven.
The company said that an “adult film” was inadvertently shown on the lounge television after passengers had watched a Formula One grand prix.
This resulted in children being exposed to what one passenger described as “hardcore porn”.
A spokesperson said that the incident happened during a delay, when the ferry had to return to France due to a technical fault at Newhaven Port.
A group of passengers had requested to watch the Formula One grand prix on the onboard lounge TV, and the adult film played immediately after the race concluded.
DFDS said the crew were “not aware” that the film was due to be broadcast, adding: “Once the crew were alerted to the content, the channel was swiftly changed.”
It said the channel had since been removed from the list of available stations on the boat, saying: “This will not happen again.
“We are very sorry for the understandable upset and anger that this caused.”
Speaking to The Argus, in Brighton, one passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, described the incident – which happened at the end of October – as “a bit mad”.
They told the paper: “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: “It was a bit mad. I don’t know how it got on there.
“It was a whole mess with the ferry crossing. People were really disgruntled.”
