Submarine collision in Manx waters 'could have been avoided'

Thursday, 13 October 2016 17:55

The MAIB conducted a report into the collision

A collision in Manx waters between a Northern Irish fishing trawler and a submarine could have been avoided if Royal Navy guidance had been followed.

That's according to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch which has concluded a report into the incident which happened last year.

Stern trawler 'Karen' was struck by the Ministry of Defence submarine just after 4pm on April 15th 2015 - the vessel was on military operation at the time.

The Karen was trawling for prawns when its fishing gear was snagged and the boat was dragged backwards at seven knots.

The skipper and his four crew managed to release the equipment when they 'realised something was wrong' after hearing an unusual noise - however the stern was pulled underwater.

Evidence of the collision on board the submarine was 'either not observed or misinterpreted' - the MAIB says this meant the crew on-board didn't render immediate assistance.

It found that the two vessels hit because the submarine's command team had assessed that Karen was a merchant vessel and not a trawler.

The MAIB says the fact that so many trawlers were operating in the area at the time should have been identified as a 'significant risk' by the Royal Navy.