Fishing vessel Nicola Faith recovered from seabed
Following the recovery of the vessel by the MAIB, it will be transported to a secure location for further investigation, testing and stability analysis.
In the first stages of the operation, a remotely operated vehicle was used to conduct a final survey of Nicola Faith in the position it came to rest on the seabed. Evidence including fishing equipment and outlying debris was mapped and collected from the area around the vessel. This information will be crucial in helping the team understand what led to the vessel’s capsize.
In preparation for the recovery, a number of anchors were laid out and salvage pumps were used to remove a large quantity of seawater from the vessel. The Nicola Faith, which weighed 11t was raised using a 43m long crane barge capable of lifting up to 150t and placed on the deck of an adjacent ship ready for transportation.
The vessel will be recovered to a specially adapted location where it will be housed until the investigation is complete. Once it has been secured, the families of the crew will have an opportunity to view the vessel if they wish.
Fishing vessel Nicola Faith being recovered by the MAIB from the seabed
Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Captain Andrew Moll said:
This operation needed to be meticulously planned and executed to ensure that valuable evidence was conserved. We are pleased to have achieved that and successfully recovered Nicola Faith.
The purpose of our investigation is to improve safety. The next phase of the investigation will be to establish what events led to the vessel’s capsize, the mechanics of how the vessel sunk and why. Once the investigation is complete a report which details the findings will be prepared and published. As well as providing the families with an explanation, our report will aim to prevent such a tragic accident recurring.
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