Fishing boat missing off channel islands

[matt1]

This looks pretty nasty.

I hope everyone is found ok

Fishing boat believed to have sunk after collision with ferry off Jersey coast

 

[Bathdave]

it is understood three person on board, still missing

they have found what appears to be the wreck in 40-50 m of water

 

[dunedin]

Was there fog at the time ?
Probably nothing to do with it, but fast ferries and fog have been bad combinations in the past in some places

 

[Beelzebub]

Collision between Condor ferry and trawler shown on time-lapse video from marine-tracker website

 

[Beelzebub]

Also:-

Wreck of trawler which collided with Condor freight ship 'located on sea bed'

 

[blampied]

Was there fog at the time ?
Probably nothing to do with it, but fast ferries and fog have been bad combinations in the past in some places

Was not a fast ferry,
More like cargo boat going South at 17 knots & Fishing boat going north at 8 knots

 

[robmcg]

In the days of AIS, this should NOT happen. Such a tragedy ?

 

[KevinV]

In the days of AIS, this should NOT happen. Such a tragedy ?

Quite

 

[guernseyman]

One recalls the accident eleven years ago when the Condor Vitesse travelling at 40 knots in thick fog collided with a French fishing boat, killing its captain.
The Condor crew were just not paying attention.

 

[Wansworth]

Some skippers I have known thinkradar means you can go at full speed

 

[Jodel]

The fishing boat concerned did not have the best record in relation to watch keeping…
https://cdn.ports.je/web/LEcume-II-...ns-Bay-and-subsequent-refloating-May-2020.pdf

 

[KevinV]

The fishing boat concerned did not have the best record in relation to watch keeping…
https://cdn.ports.je/web/LEcume-II-...ns-Bay-and-subsequent-refloating-May-2020.pdf

I'm afraid that being over-tired is par for the course on fishing boats, especially with a small crew like that. Done it on a big trawler for a fortnight when I was a teenager - it's a gruelling schedule - I lasted three days working with the men, then slept for 24 hours straight

I'm not suggesting that has anything to do with this tragedy, as I obviously couldn't possibly know.

 

[oldharry]

One recalls the accident eleven years ago when the Condor Vitesse travelling at 40 knots in thick fog collided with a French fishing boat, killing its captain.
The Condor crew were just not paying attention.

Commodore Goodwill is a large conventional ferry, but I have been on Brittany Ferries Mont St michel in heavy fog with no significant reduction in speed. Over reliance on elctronics and pressure to maintain schedules is an unsafe mix. But we also know that undermanned commerical fishing vessels are not the best watchkeepers, relying on proximity warning gear to stay safe.

I have read that there is on average a collision between channel shipping on average occurs once a week. Thankfully, loss of life is rare.

 

[boomerangben]

The search has just been called off.

I pray for the friends and family waiting for news.

A passenger on the ferry (according to the BBC) reports hearing five blasts on the ferry’s horn before hearing/feeling the collision. Seems a very specific thing to notice. Not sure (as a regular passenger on a (different) ferry) I would have been able to reliably count the blasts.
A 60’ fishing boat with one presumes AIS and a reasonable radar signature vs a commercial vessel just goes to show a) big sea theory won’t save you b) visual lookouts are fallible and c) electronic aids are fallible. No speculation, just sad that despite all the advances in tech we still get these incidents. And many of us don’t have the tech.

 

[mm42]

I have read that there is on average a collision between channel shipping on average occurs once a week. Thankfully, loss of life is rare.

I spend most of my working life in and around the channel and collisions are certainly rarer than weekly.

 

[Wansworth]

My limited experience working on dredgers and coasters the look out from inside the bridge is not that good,all the cabin lights and the various indicator lights reflecton the wheelhouse windows unless your close up.Relianceon radar seemed a bit hit and miss with the clutter and a mental attitude that watch keeping was something you did chatting or drinking tea,fog concentrates the mind but rada is for the owners so the ship keeps to its schedule

 

[Jodel]

We know the fishing boat had AIS as it was on Marinetraffic but what sort of radar cross section would a wooden trawler provide?

 

[boomerangben]

We know the fishing boat had AIS as it was on Marinetraffic but what sort of radar cross section would a wooden trawler provide?

They show up quite well on a search radar but no idea on a ship or small boat radar

 

[ylop]

A passenger on the ferry (according to the BBC) reports hearing five blasts on the ferry’s horn before hearing/feeling the collision. Seems a very specific thing to notice. Not sure (as a regular passenger on a (different) ferry) I would have been able to reliably count the blasts.

As member of public - would you? Possibly especially if you are a regular traveller and have come to know five blasts usually means a yacht is in the way! As a sailor I’d notice any use of the horn. The AIS shows the ship making a sudden change of course immediately before/at the point of collision so I don’t think there is anything surprising in the claim from the passenger - the question will innevitably be should the action have been taken 5 minutes earlier.

 

[fisherman]

It would surprise me if the FV skipper was not aware that the ship would be there on its regular schedule. Not the end of a trip so fatigue shouldn't be an issue, they had just left port 'as usual'.