An Ardglass prawn trawler, the Silver Dee, sank after a collison with another vessel from the County Down fishing port this morning at 5.30am.
The incident happened nine miles south of the port in the Irish Sea and no crew members were injured. They were taken safely aboard the other vessel, the Good Intent.
[caption id="attachment_57950" align="aligncenter" width="540"]
The Silver Dee which sank off Ardglass following a collision with another trawler.[/caption]
The skipper of the 57-feet Silver Dee, Paul Wills, was steering the vessel out to the fishing grounds to start another days fishing when the accident happened. It is understood as he called his five man crew up from their bunks, the Good Intent, a larger trawler, had swung sideways to the starboard as they prepared for their day’s fishing, and the Silver Dee collided bow on with it.
The engine room and hold of the Silver Dee quickly flooded as the vessel had been severely breached. Skipper Paul Wills gave the order to abandon ship and the crew were transferred to the Good Intent. The Silver Dee sank within ten minutes.
The RNLI were quickly on the scene and escorted the Good Intent with the fishermen back to port in Ardglass.
It is likely now that a Marine Accident Investigation Bureau report will be made.
The weather condition at the time were fair and settled and dawn was breaking giving a half light.
The Silver Dee was owned by fishing company Tom Wills and Sons and this is the second serious accident their vessels have encountered this year. Previously, the Karen was towed by an unidentified submarine several months ago and almost sank.
The Fishermen’s Mission representative Maurice Lake also arrived on the scene to check the welfare of the crews.
[caption id="attachment_57951" align="aligncenter" width="540"]
The Good Intent back in Ardglass harbour with the crew of the stricken vessel, the Silver Dee. [/caption]
]]>
