# TUGBOAT ACCIDENT: Flying Dolphin(?) Scotland UK 2 missing.1965



## moiramms (Feb 11, 2014)

Hi, Looking for information. I am the daughter of the skipper of the tugboat that lost 2 men and my father was trapped in the wheel house and almost drowned in there during a bad accident or storm around 25th Jan 1965. I remember the date well enough because I was just a little girl in school. I remember the class I was in so the date of 1965 is pretty accurate. I also remember the Daily Express a Glasgow Scotland large newspaper coming to my parents house and there was a picture of my dad with his arm in a sling. I think it was the flying dolphin, I have trawled the internet and can't find 
anything, I think it was hushed up because it was an American supply ship that may have caused the accident. Two men were thrown overboard and their bodies were never found again. Their clothes they had on eventually washed up on shore. This took place in Scotland I think around Glasgow, Greenock waters on the River Clyde. Thank you for any help.


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## golfer8 (Dec 2, 2012)

Hi I remember this happening as my dad was also on the Clyde tugs at the time, he was on the Strongbow I think it happened at the Holy Loch and as you said it was hushed up because of the Yanks were involved and they never got the bodies, hope someone will give you more info good luck with your quest
Regards 
Allan.


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## moiramms (Feb 11, 2014)

*Tugboat accident in Holy Loch Scotland UK*

GOLFER8...Thank you for replying. I have since found out that the American ship was a submarine tender which tended to nuclear subs in the Holy Loch base there in the "USS Hunley". Maybe there was a hush up about it all because in the 60's there were protests about nuclear weapons etc. I am still unsure and just guessing that it was the Flying Dolphin tugboat. My father was always on the Flying Spray but that one night he stood in for a captain on this tugboat that was sick that night. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I remember the Strongbow tug, seemed a bigger tug than the rest. I remember crossing those gangplanks going over 3 tugs to get to my dads and it terrified me those planks without railings. But I would do it. In those days you could wander down to the dock at 7 yrs old to visit with your dad if his boat was in the harbor and come home with your pockets full of pennies and silver to buy sweeties. Those were the days! As I find out more I will post it.


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## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

I have placed your request on the TugTalk Forum hoping for a response. So far I have had confirmation that there was an incident and when salvaged the tug was sold to Irish owners,

A contact in S.Wales thinks he may have additional info and is searching his archives.


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## moiramms (Feb 11, 2014)

Thank you Bill. Its quite a mystery eh?


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## golfer8 (Dec 2, 2012)

Hi moiramms spoke to a guy I know who is into Clyde Puffer and he could not find out any thing but will keep trying as he said the yanks kept this tragedy
very hush hush , I came across something a while back on the internet just a brief mention but cant remember was looking for something else at the time 
(old age does not come alone) but will keep trying .
Regards 
Allan


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## moiramms (Feb 11, 2014)

*Moiramms*

Just received info that the US ship might have been the USS Simon Lake and not the USS Hunley. Seemingly the Simon Lake took over from the USS Hunley at the Holy Loch Scotland around this time. So maybe the tugboat was helping guide it out of the Holy Loch or into the Holy Loch. If this is correct then it may have been around Jan 1966 looking at the latest dates that this happened. Well at least I might find out more now. But still, when I search the web with the new info there is nothing.


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## senior pilot (Aug 18, 2007)

try this site it is mostly about clyde tugs http://www.tugtalk.co.uk


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## moiramms (Feb 11, 2014)

Thank you Senior Pilot I appreciate your help. So far anyone I have got in touch with don't answer my email. I will go have a look on the website you suggested. Regards Moiramms.


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## CDCD (Aug 21, 2019)

The presumed death of the men was registered as January 1966. The tugboat was the Flying Wizard. One of the men who were lost were lost was Alex MacNeil who had just moved from Barra as his wife was at teacher training college in Glasgow. There deaths were registered by the marine authorities. I know Alex’s body was never found as I was very friendly with his widow who died just over a year ago at the age of 94.


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## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

CDCD said:


> The presumed death of the men was registered as January 1966. The tugboat was the Flying Wizard. One of the men who were lost were lost was Alex MacNeil who had just moved from Barra as his wife was at teacher training college in Glasgow. There deaths were registered by the marine authorities. I know Alex’s body was never found as I was very friendly with his widow who died just over a year ago at the age of 94.


If indeed it was FLYING WIZARD, then she appears to have been unfortunate as she went under again in 1971

5117298
FLYING WIZARD (1960 - 1971) 
O.N. 304148. 112g. 26.90 x 7.04 x metres.
8-cyl. 4 S.C.S.A. (320 x 450mm) Deutz type oil by Kloeckner-Humboldt-Deutz, Koeln, geared to a fixed pitch propeller. 1,060 bhp. 15 tons bollard pull.
9.6.1960: Launched by J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., North Sands, Sunderland (Yard No. 249) for the Clyde Shipping Company Ltd., Glasgow.
9.7.1960: Completed. 
8.11.1971: Sank off Greenock, whilst assisting the Dutch cargo vessel GAASTERDYK, (7,222g. /60) into the container terminal. 
28.11.1971: Raised, declared a constructive total loss, and sold to Pounds Shipowners & Shipbreakers Ltd., Portsmouth. Subsequently reconditioned and repaired for owners own use. 
1975: Renamed TOWING WIZARD. 
11.1978: Sold to Makedonia II Shipping Co., (Michael Gigilinis Shipping Company, managers), Greece, and renamed ALEXANDROS. 
12.1978: Whilst on her delivery voyage from Portsmouth to Greece, suffered engine failure and was towed from off the Channel Islands to Plymouth by the Tribal class frigate H.M.S. MOHAWK. 
1999: North Aegean Consortium for Towage & Salvage, appointed as managers.
7.11.2002: Foundered off Thessaloniki with the loss of one life.


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## golfer8 (Dec 2, 2012)

Hi sorry to hear that your friend has passed on its a small world i went to work on Barra in 1972 for six weeks and stayed for seventeen years, but i never heard anyone talking about Alex's ( accident ) in my time there , my dad always said that the yanks and the UK attorney's kept it all hushed up at the time and as far as i know no one has every got to the bottom of the mystery. 

Regards 
Allan Garrett 

Ps welcome to the site??


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## davidships (Nov 3, 2007)

*Flying Wizard - 25 Jan 1966*

Report from Coventry Evening Telegraph


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## DStirling (Feb 19, 2012)

*Clyde Shipping Co Archives*

There may be further information available here:
https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/sear...-3459cea2f7bd?terms="Clyde Shipping Tugs Ltd"


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## JessicaWattersonXo (5 d ago)

Hi Moiraamms,
I know it was now 9 years ago since you started this discussion and understandably, it will be highly unlikely to receive a response.
However, I am attempting to contact you as my Papa, (John, 83) was actually present at Holy Loch at the time of the accident as he was assisting the docking of the American ships coming into the Holy Loch. My Papa believes he would have known your dad and he would love to get in contact with you to provide you with more information.
If you have an email address or any other means of contact that I could pass on to my Papa, it would be much appreciated. Hopefully hear from you soon!

Regards,
Jessica


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