Maib Salvages Scottish Trawler Louisa

News from The Celtic League:

A crab boat which sank with the loss of three lives of the Hebrides has been raised by the MAIB so that it can gather a clearer picture of why the vessels foundered.

The Louisa sank on 9 April as it lay at anchor in calm seas off Mingulay in the Western Isles.

The bodies of two crew members have been found. The skipper is still missing and presumed dead.

In the past because of cost the MAIB have been reluctant to carry out such salvage operations despite quite vigorous campaigns by relatives a notable exception was when the Kirkcudbright vessel MFV Solway Harvester sank in Manx waters and the Manx government underwrote the cost of the salvage.

More recently French authorities also salvaged the Breton trawler Bugaled Breizh so that French marine investigator the BEM could carry out a survey. However controversy still surrounds the Bugaled Breizh sinking and an inquest in currently ongoing in Cornwall.

The news about the Louisa means that families touched by the tragedy will be more likely to get a clear picture of why the comparatively modern vessel foundered.

Related links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-363010…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-360539…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-360226…

Image: The trawler Louisa

BERNARD MOFFATT

Issued by: The Manx branch of the Celtic League

TEL: 01624 877918 or 07624 491609

16/05/16

THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries including our own Mannin branch. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues

The link for the main web pages is below:

http://celticleague.net