# Help required please



## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

I am trying to find out information on the MV Synetta for a Friend of mine whose Dad, was on it when it sank on 25/12/1986, off the coast of Iceland. She has recently decidied to find out a bit more about it and asked me to help!!!.

I have looked on here and on other ship related sites but to no availe could anyone point me in the right direction.

Thank you.

Brian


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Has she seen this piece in Hansard, Brian?
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1987/oct/02/synetta-tanker
Very mysterious. Cannot find SYNETTA listed at Miramar.

Cheers
Kris


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Thanks kris, that throws a little light on the subject, we know she was a tanker, but after reading the above report it looks as though the Royal navy may have been involved maybe?

Was it not around 1986 that the Navy where protecting the fishing grounds off Iceland?

just hope that I have not opened a can of worms here.

Thanks for your efforts on this.
Brian


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

I have found it was purchased by Syndicate Tankships LTD of Gibralter in 1985 and Managed by Haggerstone Marine LTd of Hornchurch. It sailed from Liverpool on the 20/12/86 on route to Eskifjordur but never made it!


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

More info found, but would still like to find a photograph of this ship.

In Friday`s disaster, the 1,260-ton British-owned tanker Syneta sent a
mayday distress call saying it had run aground and couldn`t launch any life
rafts because it was too close to a steep, rocky outcrop.

The crew of six Britons and six Cape Verde Islanders apparently jumped
into the sea when the ship began to sink, said Rescue Organization spokesman
Johannes Briem. The Syneta was smashed to pieces.

The rescuers recovered six bodies, all in life jackets. Two other bodies
slipped out of their jackets and sank as the searchers tried to pull them
aboard trawlers. One crewman was found alive but died shortly afterward.

The other three crewmen were missing and presumed dead.

Hundreds of volunteers combed the beaches.

Rescuers found a letter in a British sailor`s pocket, which was dated
Christmas Eve and addressed to a woman in England.

In it, the crewman complained that the ship could sail at only 5.7 miles
an hour and its automatic pilot was inoperable, a spokesman said.

The 284-foot ship was purchased by Syndicate Tankships Ltd. of Gibraltar
in October, 1985, and is managed by Haggerstone Marine Ltd. of Hornchurch
outside London, said managing agent Gordon Haggerstone. It carried vegetable
oils and was registered as a motor vessel, he said.

The Syneta was empty when it left the English port of Liverpool on Dec.
20 for Eskifjordur on the east coast of Iceland to pick up 1,100 tons of fish- liver oil. ``She had been due to . . . return via Rotterdam and Dunkirk,``
Haggerstone said.

The Syneta ran aground in relatively good weather on Skrudur rock, a 531- foot-high outcrop at the mouth of the Faskrudsfjordur fjord, he said.

Capt. Hannas Hafstein of the Icelandic Lifesaving Association said:
``It`s high and it`s straight and the ship ran aground on the southern part
of it. We can`t understand why she sailed right into it.``

The ship hit the rock at its northeast corner and was only a few yards
from passing it safely, said Ingolfur Fridgeirsson, who was overseeing the
rescue effort from Eskifjordur.

Briem said the crew gave an incorrect position 10 miles north of Skrudur
rock in the mayday call. But he said rescuers found the tanker after seeing a distress flare fired by the crew.

The first of 12 fishing boats, the Thorri, got to the scene 30 minutes
later. It found the ship nearly capsized and saw no sign of the crew, Briem
said.

The first body was found floating in the sea 70 minutes later.


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## yvon (Oct 17, 2005)

Hi,
SYNETA / vegetable oil tanker / GIB / 1969 / 1230 grt / IMO 6919681 / 85,88 x 11,61 m / 1440 hp / 12,5 kn / Launched as MARGA, 77 - MARGARETA (Swe), 85 - SYNETA (Gib)
Regards, Yvon.


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Thanks for that Yvon.
Brian


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

That spelling comes up on Miramar
http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/show/361410
and echoes Yvon's details.


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Kris, what chance do we have if the inquiry into the sinking mis spells the ships name.
It has certainly passed a few hours away, thanks for your help.
Will carry on looking for more info, the Daughter who lost her Dad is aware of the mysteries surronding this tragic loss.


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

I think Hansard is a transcription of shorthand stenographers notes taken at the time so the spelling could be that stenographer's interpretation.
Try this
http://ntlsearch.bts.gov/tris/record/tris/00654234.html
Cheers
Kris


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Or this
http://wrecks.softwaredoc.org/news/trib8601.htm


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

I was Master at the time on leave from the Syndic another ship owned by Syndicate shipping Gibraltar. I saw the news of the sinking on the Television news just as I was starting my Boxing Day lunch. I just could not eat anymore as I knew several of the crew, so I went out and bought a newspaper, all sorts of stories were in the press. She was tailed by a Russian submarine as well as some thing to do with the RN. The spokesman for the company at the time was John Taylor not Gordon Haggerstone. The regular Master of the Synetta was ex harbour master of a port on Deeside, he was also on leave but went with John Taylor to Iceland to look at the ship and identify the bodies, the crewmember pulled out of the water alive was named Kevin Dixon from Hull. I had sailed with Kevin on other ships, he was a great cook, the cook I had on the Syndic was useless so I was going to get rid of him and take Kevin, unfortunately he couldn't join me soon enough hence the reason he joined the Synetta. I wrote a letter of condolence to his parents, the hardest thing I have ever had to do in all my seagoing career. I cannot remember who the mate was on the Synetta, The Master was from North Wales and new to the company but had many years command experience foreign going The Second Mate was also new to the company, it was in his pocket that the letter referred was found. Before leaving Liverpool both radars on the Synetta were overhauled, and according to the regular master all the bridge equipment was in working order, I cannot see that a fully qualified master would have taken the ship to sea if he had any doubts as to the equipment. Autopsies were carried out on the bodies and there were no signs of alcohol, this was another reason given by the press as it was Xmas.
The Gibraltar authorities came to the conclusion due to the time of the grounding that the second mate would have been on watch, and that due to the heating system on the Synetta that he probably fell asleep, as it was a clear night, the light house was functioning and was a good radar aspect.
What actually happened on that tragic night? as there were no survivours nobody will know for sure. Hope this is some help.

Regards Robert


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Robert, thanks for that touching response,there is not a lot of information on the internet on this tragic loss or on the ship her self.

This just shows what this site is all about, the retention of history and information and communication between like minded people.

Thanks again for taking the time to recall this hurtful event.

Brian


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## danube4 (Aug 20, 2005)

Hi Huytonbrian. Try these,

M/S SYNETA.----as MARGA and MARGARETA

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/marga_1969_b_1.htm

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/marga_1969_b_2.htm

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/margareta_1969_b_1.htm

All the best.
Barney.


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

Further to my previous posting regarding the Synetta, I wish to make it clear that in any posting on this vessel I have no interest in covering for the owners, as I was in my opinion treated very shabbily by them.
Regarding the letter in the seaman's pocket, it was actually the second mate and was addressed to his sister, who I understand also had a second mates certificate, again I cannot verify this. If as it said that the automatic steering system was inoperable, the question comes up, who was steering the vessel? as I know for a fact the Cape Verde crew could not steer. The bridge was single watchkeeper operated. As for Haggerstone being managing agent I believe he was one of the owners, he fixed the cargoes. John Taylor was in charge of operations and any cash we required came through him as did ordering all stores including food.
I never sailed in the Synetta but did shift her across Ipswich dock a couple of times when the first Master walked off.

Regards Robert


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Barney, you are a star, thanks for taking the time to post these links.
Cheers mate.
Brian


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## eddyw (Nov 6, 2007)

Dear Brian,
Please pass on my sincere sympathies to your friend for her tragic loss. I had a childhood friend who was sadly also lost with the ship. Still have fond recollections of a young cadet with a deep tan who came home from time to time with tales of the sea and distant lands.
Kind regards


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## danube4 (Aug 20, 2005)

Brian, your welcome, glad to help find her.

Barney.


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Eddyw, I will do that and thanks for your contribution.
Brian


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## danube4 (Aug 20, 2005)

Brian, an other pic of Syneta. I think the pic on the left is Syneta
on the rocks.

http://www.bubbi.is/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=458&Itemid=10

Barny.


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Thank's Barny, I am getting quite a lot of information together, she will be made up with the photo's and other information I am sure.
Thank's again.
Brian


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## glancon (Oct 26, 2007)

The Masters name was Captain Cape. I lived next door to him in Llandudno Junction at the time this happened.

Glancon


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Glancon, thanks for that, does anyone now where you would find a list of all the crew that lost their lives in this tragedy.
Brian


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

Glancon
I wonder if you know the name of the ex Harbour Master of a small port on the River Dee, he lived in the vicinity of Capt Cape. He was actually the regular Master on the Synetta. He would have been Harbour Master in the late 1970's up to approximately 1984.

Regards Robert


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## peter wood (Feb 19, 2006)

The Captain of the Synetta who was on leave was Nightingale and he had been the Harbourmaster at Mostyn

Rgds


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## glancon (Oct 26, 2007)

Robert, 

I see Peter has answered your question, I did not know his name anyway.

Regards Glancon


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

PETER.
Thank you very much for the informaton regarding Capt. Nightingale.
I could remember his Christian name was Tony, I could not for the life of me remember the port he was Harbour Master at, thanks again.

Regards Robert


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## hilda miller (Oct 5, 2010)

*re. Mv Syneta*

Dear Brian, I just came across your e mail today, I realise its two years ago since you wrote it, so my information may be of no interest now, but anyway, my husband Bob Wakefield, was the chief engineer on the MV Syneta and sadly was one of the crew members who died.

If you do require anymore information regarding the accident I have a full transcript of the inquest which was held in Hull in 1987. I am only sorry I did not see your e mail earlier, as I would have liked to have helped your friend. I had kept the do***ents so that I could show my daughters when they were old enough exactly what happened. Is your friend by any chance the daughter of Alan Brown who was the 2nd engineer? Anyway, if I can be of any help please dont hesitate to contact me. Regards Hilda Miller.


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## Vigfus (Apr 20, 2012)

Hello all.

Are any of the participants in this thread still active on the site? I have a few tidbits of information regarding this sad accident which may be of interest to parties involved.


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## Iwillconquer (Apr 14, 2014)

Vigfus said:


> Hello all.
> 
> Are any of the participants in this thread still active on the site? I have a few tidbits of information regarding this sad accident which may be of interest to parties involved.


Hi Vigfus, a couple of years on again, but I would be interested in any info you have please?


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## Huytonbrian (Jul 25, 2008)

Vigfus said:


> Hello all.
> 
> Are any of the participants in this thread still active on the site? I have a few tidbits of information regarding this sad accident which may be of interest to parties involved.


I am still active and would pass on any info you have, thank you.


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## Ivone (Feb 19, 2021)

Can anyone send me information about this ship acidente?


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## emma29brown (Oct 9, 2021)

I came on here for the same reason. My grandad was on this ship when it sank. Did you find anything out?


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## emma29brown (Oct 9, 2021)

hilda miller said:


> *re. Mv Syneta*
> 
> Dear Brian, I just came across your e mail today, I realise its two years ago since you wrote it, so my information may be of no interest now, but anyway, my husband Bob Wakefield, was the chief engineer on the MV Syneta and sadly was one of the crew members who died.
> 
> If you do require anymore information regarding the accident I have a full transcript of the inquest which was held in Hull in 1987. I am only sorry I did not see your e mail earlier, as I would have liked to have helped your friend. I had kept the do***ents so that I could show my daughters when they were old enough exactly what happened. Is your friend by any chance the daughter of Alan Brown who was the 2nd engineer? Anyway, if I can be of any help please dont hesitate to contact me. Regards Hilda Miller.


My grandad was on this ship when it sank. I was trying to find out information.


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## backsplice (May 23, 2005)

Here are a couple of images of that Tanker


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## Katy B (6 mo ago)

emma29brown said:


> My grandad was on this ship when it sank. I was trying to find out information.


Hi Emma,

Did you find the information you were looking for? My Dad was also on the ship.


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## Katy B (6 mo ago)

An Icelandic singer has written a song in memory of the ship and crew. The video has some interesting information.


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