Explosives werefound on board the‘Princess Margaret’

The ship was forced to dock at Whitehead due to rough seas.

Severe rocking of the vessel during the storm caused sticks of gelignite to burst out of parcel.

The steamer had been carrying 60 passengers from Stranraer to Larne.

At the neighbouring port, the harbour police and RUC were called.

Two parcels, each containing more than 60 lbs of gelignite, were uncovered. No-one was injured.

Nine men from the Belfast area were questioned about the haul.

The incident was investigated on both sides of the Irish Sea and an officer had been in touch with Special Branch at Scotland Yard.

Police believed that they had broken an attempt to use the cross-channel boats for explosives smuggling by the IRA.

A report in the Larne Times suggested that “ a plot to land a secret load of explosives may have been uncovered”.

The “Princess Margaret” could carry up to 1250 passengers.