Royal Navy Submarine Put Lives At Risk - Report

A Royal Navy submarine which towed a fishing trawler at speed through the Irish sea put the lives of crew in danger, according to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

The Karen was dragged backwards and had its nets caught for around 30 seconds off the Ardglass coast in Co Down in April.

Four crew members were uninjured, however the trawler almost capsized.

The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents said: "The accident happened because of insufficient passage planning by the submarine’s command team and their failure to follow guidance on fishing vessel avoidance. Had its trawl warps not parted, it is almost inevitable that Karen would have capsized and sunk; the collision also presented a very significant risk to the submarine."

The Royal Navy is to review its procedures and training.

SDLP South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has demanded an urgent detailed meeting with the new Minister for the British Armed Forces to ensure answers are now provided on the levels of submarine activity in the Irish Sea.

She said: "Whilst an acceptable and welcome acknowledgement of responsibility was eventually given by the Royal Navy along with an apology and an offer of compensation some five months after the accident in September 2015, this independent report published today clearly illustrates the disregard of the Royal Navy for the safety of our fishing vessels and their crews as well as their ignorance of type of ships operating in the area.

"The Royal Navy had assessed that the majority of shipping in the area were merchant vessels when in actual fact they were trawlers. Had the submarine’s command team appreciated the high density of fishing vessels this accident would have been prevented.

"Perhaps more damning for the Royal Navy is that for nearly five months after the incident, they tried to disguise the fact that they were responsible for the incident which severely damaged the MV Karen. They then took ten months to submit evidence to the investigation team even though they assured me in subsequent meetings that they would submit information quickly. In fact, the then Minister for the Armed Forces assured me in a debate in the Commons in early September 2015 that my questions would be answered by the independent report. The MAIB report indicates that they received incomplete information from the Royal Navy. This is not good enough when the lives of our fishermen were put at risk."

(CD)