On the BBC Scotland website today but written by BBC News Isle of Man:
Solway Harvester tragedy ‘still felt’ 25 years on – The loss of seven fishermen in Manx waters “is still keenly felt” a quarter of a century after the Solway Harvester tragedy, the chief minister has said. The crewmen, from the Isle of Whithorn area of Dumfries and Galloway, died when the the scallop dredger sank off the coast of Douglas on 11 January 2000.
Skipper Andrew Mills (known as Craig), 29, his brother Robin Mills, 33, their cousin David Mills, 17, Martin Milligan, 26, John Murphy, 22, David Lyons, 18, and Wesley Jolly, 17 died when the boat sank in stormy seas while heading for shelter in Ramsey Bay.
“Great credit must go the government of the time, they were prepared to do the right thing, they stepped up to the mark.”1
No other explanation for the sinking is offered in this or any other BBC report, than ‘stormy seas.’
When I saw the report, I was reminded of the Antares dragged down by a nuclear submarine in 1990.
In February 2 000, the Daily Record reported:
Days after the Kirkcudbright- based boat sank in the Irish Sea 12 miles off the Isle of Man, we told how the hull had a concertina bump in its starboard side. Now we can reveal that the deck is also severely buckled and that the masts above the wheelhouse are also damaged.
Two crewmen from the boat who had called off on the tragic trip with flu have examined video footage from an underwater camera. A source close to the investigation said: “There is absolutely no doubt that the boat has been in collision.”2
This suggestion was denied by the MoD though a nuclear submarine, HMS Vigilant had emergency repairs to its radar- system (see above), in Faslane, 3 days later.2
As for the stormy seas explanation:
Galloway MSP Alisdair Morgan called for the raising of the wreck and said: “I think when a relatively new boat sinks in not very bad conditions, you try to find out what happened.”2
The Daily Record then felt able to write a report with content strangely completely ignored by BBC Scotland:
A SUBMARINE may have sunk the Solway Harvester with the loss of seven lives, grieving families have been told. The Record can reveal the hull of the trawler, lying in 100 feet of water, is damaged. A substantial “concertina bump” near the bow is consistent with being hit by a very heavy vessel.
Yesterday, as relatives faced waiting several more agonising days for the salvage, they were told a submarine hit was a distinct possibility. The news came from a tip-off to senior sources in the fishing industry by accident investigators. The Ministry of Defence have dismissed any suggestion that a submarine was involved and say none of their subs were in the area at the time.
But nuclear sub HMS Vigilant did return to the Navy base at Faslane three days after the tragedy for emergency repairs to its radar equipment. Yesterday, a source close to the inquiry told the Record: “It feels as though there is a cover- up going on. The way the information is coming out doesn’t sound right.
“The MoD say they were not even in the Irish Sea at the time but it isn’t the first time they have denied any involvement in an incident like this.” In Kirkcudbright, where the Solway Harvester was based, locals are still convinced it was a submarine that sank the Mhairi-L in the Irish Sea 10 years ago. The bodies of the five crew have never been recovered and grief and mystery still hangs over the town. Another trawler, the South Stack, vanished in the same area in similar circumstances the previous year.3
The crew of the Vigilant were later, in 2012, found to be involved in taking cocaine at shore parties and the two senior officers were involved in an affair with a subordinate.4
Update: These reports suggest a worrying lack of discipline, distraction, in the same vessel which required repairs only days after the sinking of the Solway Harvester.
Thanks to JB for the above update.
Sources:
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7080gyjegwo
- https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sunken+Harvester+is+%27badly+damaged%27.-a060883787
- https://www.thefreelibrary.com/DID+NUCLEAR+SUB+SINK+THE+HARVESTER%3F%3B+Families+told+of+damage+to…-a060884782
- https://maritime-executive.com/article/scandal-erupts-aboard-royal-navys-hms-vigilant
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Utterly tragic, disgraceful no genuine factual explanation, and needs independent investigation.
I too remember the 1990 Antares sinking. I made an art print about it. 😦
Were the families compensated or anything like that? Even an apology offered?
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HMS Vigilant submarine was reported to have arrived at Faslane a few days later for repairs to its radar system. By 2017 The Vigilant had become known as “the party boat” by The Royal Navy with the captain and his second being sacked along with 9 ‘juniors’ under investigation for taking cocaine!!!……….https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/harvester-in-collision-before-she-went-down/28357755.html ……..https://maritime-executive.com/article/scandal-erupts-aboard-royal-navys-hms-vigilant
JB
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