Yesterday’s tragedy in Cyprus caused me to wonder if any CalMac ferry had ever sunk with the loss of life?

When you look at the far worse weather conditions around the West Coast of Scotland, surely there have been incidents?

You can see below that many CalMac vessels sail in far stormier conditions than you would find in the Eastern Med.

Yesterday, off Kyrenia, winds were gusting at up to 22kph, high for the area, but way below what CalMac mono-hulls can manage.

Have any CalMac vessels ever sunk with the loss of life?

No, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferry has ever sunk with loss of life. CalMac was formed in 1973 from the merger of David MacBrayne and the Caledonian Steam Packet Company. The only CalMac vessel written off while in passenger service was MV Loch Seaforth (the 1947 mailboat). On 22 March 1973 she grounded on Cleit Rock in Gunna Sound between Tiree and Coll. All passengers and crew (around 40 people, including CalMac’s general manager and the chairman of the Scottish Transport Group) were evacuated safely by lifeboat. The ship was later towed to Gott Bay, Tiree, where a bulkhead failed and she sank at the pier, blocking it for weeks until she was raised and scrapped. There were no injuries or fatalities. https://www.aniodhlann.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/object-no.-23-seaforth.pdf

Any in other UK ferry services?

Herald of Free Enterprise (6 March 1987) – Townsend Thoresen (British-owned and operated) roll-on/roll-off ferry on the Zeebrugge–Dover route. It left port with the bow doors still open, water flooded the car deck, and the ship capsized in about 90 seconds just outside Zeebrugge harbour. 193 people died. This is the best-known modern UK ferry disaster; the subsequent inquiry led to major changes in ro-ro ferry design and operations. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39116394

European Gateway (19 December 1982)
Townsend Thoresen ferry leaving Felixstowe for Rotterdam. It collided with the Speedlink Vanguard and capsized. Six people died. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meikle_Ferry_disaster