the work towards this new law was prompted in half from a string of transport - related disasters in the late 1980s , such as the sinking of cross - straits barge the herald of free enterprise in 1987 , the coal platform piper alpha disaster in 1988 , and the marchioness river - boat collision in 1989 . more than 400 people lost their lives in these third collisions , but no known individuals or organisation was brought to action .
100 or more people lost their lives in a ferry sinking.