FISHING SKIPPER PLEADS GUILTY FOR FAILURE TO KEEP A PROPER LOOKOUT

On 31 January 2011 at around 11.20 pm the French registered fishing vessel ‘Jack Abry II’, with a crew of 14 onboard, grounded on the North West Coast of Rhum off the West Coast of Scotland
A full emergency was declared and Mallaig lifeboat and Rescue 100, the Coastguard  helicopter based in Stornoway, were dispatched to assist. The seas were too rough to evacuate the crew onto the lifeboat and so they were winched to safety by the helicopter and flown to Stornoway
At the Sheriff Court in Stornoway on 2 February the skipper was found guilty of failing to keep a proper lookout and failing to safely navigate his vessel.
The skipper was fined a total of £3000
On summing up the Sheriff said,
“The skipper was very lucky that no-one was killed.”
Cedric Loughran, Fishing Vessel Safety Policy Manager says:
“This was another serious breach of the Collision Regulations and once again reminds all fishermen of the need to maintain a proper lookout at all times.”

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