Trawler skipper to meet with MoD official

Trawler skipper to meet with MoD official

26 October 2016

A SENIOR official from the Ministry of Defence is to visit Ardglass to meet the skipper of the trawler involved in a close encounter with a submarine in the Irish Sea last April.

Paul Murphy and his three-man crew were fishing for prawns off the Isle of Man when their net was snagged by a Royal Navy submarine which dragged the trawler backwards. 

Confirmation that a senior official from Whitehall plans to visit Ardglass comes just over a week after a damning report into the Irish Sea incident was made public.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report said Navy commanders were unaware of the collision until three hours later after they failed to realise they were passing beneath a fishing vessel with nets rather than a merchant cargo or passenger ship.

Steve Clinch, chief inspector of marine accidents, said the accident happened because of “insufficient passage planning” by the submarine’s command team and their failure to follow guidance on fishing vessel avoidance. He said had the nets not separated from the Karen “it is almost inevitable it would have capsized and sunk.”

The Royal Navy was heavily criticised in the report for its reluctance to fully engage in the subsequent investigation, while Mr Murphy accused the Navy of playing ‘Russian roulette’ with the Irish Sea fishing fleet. He also fears that given the level of marine activity in the Irish Sea, a similar incident could happen again unless the Royal Navy changes its practices.

Mr Murphy is keen for the detail of the 12 recommendations in the accident investigation report to be made public and said there is an onus on the Royal navy to ensure its submarines navigate safely.

News that a senior official from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) plans to meet with Mr Murphy in Ardglass has been confirmed by South Down MP Margaret Ritchie who asked for the meeting to take place.

The MP said following the publication of the accident investigation report, she has received confirmation that a senior MoD official will be in Ardglass within the next few weeks.

“It is important this ministerial visit and meeting with Mr Murphy heralds a new beginning for the Royal Navy and spells total co-operation with the fishing industry,” declared Miss Ritchie. “Undertakings must be given that the recommendations in the MAIB report are fully implemented and that assurances are given that all steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do no re-occur.

“Any reason for not implementing recommendations must be fully explained and it is my understanding that the MAIB has an established procedure for regular monitoring and follow-up on recommendation responses, said Miss Ritchie.

The MP added: “I will be pushing the Ministry of Defence, its ministers and the MAIB to ensure that the Royal Navy implement the recommendations and for assurances that such incidents do not happen again.”