# Another Fisherman Missing Off Portland



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

A fishing boat and its skipper is missing off Portland Bill Dorset. At about 1800 today Wednesday 13th September 2006, a red flare was sighted south of Portland Bill. The Weymouth lifeboat was launched and recovered a life raft with two men onboard who reported their skipper was still on the 30ft vessel. Two coastguard helicopters, and HMS Portland are searching right now for the boat from Brixham, in Devon.

This is the second incident in 24 hours in this area and the third since last week. David


----------



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

The search for the skipper has resumed this morning. The fishing boat is called the Unity. She took on water east of Portland Bill. Two crew members managed to take to the life raft but as they did so, the Unity capsized. They saw the skipper still in the Wheel House as she went over. Both boat and skipper are now missing.

Once again fishermen, seafarers the same as many of us on this site past or present, are risking their lives so that people shoreside have fish to eat most likely struggling to make ends meet making very little out of their catch while the middle men and supermarkets making a nice little earner at their expense in warm and safe shoreside establishments. David


----------



## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

long time since i looked at a chart of that area David. but, isnt that a "submarine excercise area"(not seen a chart since 1964).. make you wonder.
Seem to recall a sub breaking surface very close to us as we sailed down that way heading for Falmouth once, scared the hell out of me as it seemingly leaped up out of the water about 30 meters off our starboard beam.


----------



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Hi Bill

The coastguard was asked this morning on Radio Solent if there was any connection to all these incidents in roughly the same place and he said there was not. It was just dreadful coincidence with both fishing boats being in rough conditions making the rescue of the two who were saved even harder. Thank goodness for those brave men who risk their own lives to save others. They barely get a mention which I think is disgraceful. People seem more concerned about Christmas shopping and finding parking spaces than those who produce the food they buy or those who save these people when something goes wrong. Still no news on the fate of the skipper. With the sea being so cold they reckon he could have only survived for an hour. David


----------



## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

The Pittenweem owned inshore trawler Unity R250 has been reported sunk 2 miles south of Portland Bill. Two of the crew men managed to get onto the liferaft before she capsised with the skipper still in the wheelhouse. Search continues with wreckage spotted.

BBC news story

Ally Flett has a good photo of her in the gallery
Ally's Photo he has her as R280 but if you look close enough she's R250 and I have had confirmed by the BBC that this is the vessel that sank.

Another sad day for the fishing industry

Davie Tait


----------



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

The search has been called off for missing skipper. The skipper and crew were Fife based coming to the south coast I understand to fish during the winter based at Brixham, Devon. The mother of the fisherman who fell overboard from another vessel by tripping over a rope in same area, was speaking on BBC Radio Solent this morning. She was saying how thoughtful he was helping others, and already had his Christmas presents wrapped. This sums up the tragedy even more when families are torn to pieces emotionally especially at this time of year. 

Please spare a thought for these familes who's loved ones lost their lives bringing us fish to eat that so many of us take for granted. I am quite sure that some people think that fish just appear on the supermarket shelves without thinking of the risks fishermen take to get it there.

The amount of views to this thread suggests that members are reading it, and hopefully sparing a thought for the families involved, but it would be nice to see a bit more input because many of us were in a similar position at sea once, or still are be it aboard a large vessel, or small fishing boat. We were all at risk to some extent because the sea is still far more powerful than even the super giant cruise ships let alone a tiny fishing boat. So with 10 days left before Christmas, lets spare a thought or two in words for those who have lost their lives at sea this year all around the world, not just at Portland. This is a world wide website. Families who have lost loved ones at sea may well log onto this site. Therefore, knowing we are thinking of them will surely be of great comfort. David


----------



## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

i wonder just out of interest just how many members we have who put to sea and came back without the vessel!... i have!...3 hours in very cold water, second week of december it was, 1958. hell of an experience when you sre standing on a sinking boat.
Yes David, i have that thought for the berieved and for the poor chaps who survived it, they will never forget it either. I still get flash backs about it to this day, its not unusual for me to have a panic attack when swimming in the sea either. it took me 20 years to be able to swim again after that. almost went down with her.
Mat the good Lord comfort the berieved and the survivors off all sea dissasters. and may the unfortunate ones rest in peace... i was almost one of them.


----------



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

What a terrible experience Bill. Only you know what that was like, and however many times you may tell the story, it is almost impossible for others to understand what you were going through as hard as they may try. It is almost impossible to put ourselves in another persons shoes which is why people do not always react as we would like them too. David


----------



## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

we have to search our memories for something nice to to think about David.
when i reached home. my father dumped me in a hot bath. after i started to feel a bit better i went to the local bar where the local landlord having heard about it before hand, greeted me with a smile and handed me a large rum on the house. another thing i cant forget!... God rest the late Harry waller!


----------



## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

yesterday,14/12/2006 marked the 47th anniversary of the loss with all hands of the steam trawler Red Falcon,from fleetwood.she went down off Skerryvore,in the Minches.as usual the usual memorandi were placed in the papers and the flowers placed on the memorial on the prom for those lads and all fishermen lost whilst bringing home the food that most people take for granted.it is sad that most people even in a fishing town,tend these days to gloss over such a sad occasion.that is, unless they have loved ones who are involved in the sea.we still grieve for those lads 47 years on,and there is no stigma in admitting that we still do shed a tear for those loved ones even now,nearly half a century on.I would like to offer my sincere condolences too,for those lads lost off the south coast and their families,and let us hope that god grants them some comfort and peace this christmas.


----------



## John Briggs (Feb 12, 2006)

Billyboy,

I have had some close calls but nothing like having a vessel sink and be left adrift in the sea. Can't imagine the feeling really but I remember we had an engine breakdown mid Indian Ocean in very calm weather. It was decided that some of us would go swimming. I can still remember the feeling when moving clear of the ship - you were out in the seemingly bottomless ocean with all sorts of sea creatures swimming around. Couldn't get back on board quick enough. In your situation you had the fact that your vessel had gone, the icy conditions, the feeling of complete abandonment and obviously not dead calm - horrific!!!


----------



## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Ah!...we were only about seven miles off shore John. second week of december though, water was damn cold too! slight swell and foggy, nobody saw the flares
a fishing party that we passed earlier came to investigate the flotsam and found us bobbing about hanging on to life belts. 3 of us and only two life belts. seemed as if my head was under water more than on top of it. afraid to swim in the sea for years after that.I was fetching another canister of flares when she took a nose dive. seemed like forever before i broke surface. damn lucky to get out of it! last time i ever sailed on a trawler that was. thats why i take my hat off to the trawlermen today mate


----------

