FAMILIES of two dead fishermen have been given hope that they will be able to bury their loved ones after ministers announced they will look at salvaging the wreck.
Marine accident investigators have said they will not recover the wreck of the Nancy Glen which which sank in Loch Fyne within sight of their home port of Tarbert. Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk were on board the Nancy Glen when it capsized on the sea loch in Argyll and Bute on January 18.
The alarm was raised by a third fisherman, John Miller, who was pulled from the water by the crew of a passing boat.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had been surveying the site to decide if the wreck could be raised but said it could not.
But the Scottish Government has said it will now work with salvage specialists and the families of the crewmen to support efforts to retrieve the bodies of the missing fishermen.
The Clyde Fisherman’s Association (CFA) have also begun a campaign to raise the boat, which is lying 140m down.
They have raised almost £165,000 towards the salvage effort.
The campaign has also been offered specialised lifting equipment to help with the operation.
Przemek’s wife Gosia laid flowers and candles at the port in Tarbert last Thursday, a week on from the tragedy.
She thanked locals for their support as she described their fight to bring the men home - which could cost £1million - as “unattainable” without further financial help.
Gosia added: “The people of Tarbert and all of Scotland are amazing. They are committed with all their heart and fight for us and for our husbands, for which we thank you very much.”
“I beg you on behalf of my children and Duncan’s sons for financial assistance in the extraction of the wreckage to bring our husbands home. The costs of this operation are huge and, unfortunately, unattainable to our families. I never thought life would give me such a pain and such a loss that I would be begging for money for me and my children to say goodbye to our beloved Przemek.”
Her plea came as the Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) say they have no plans to bring the boat to the surface and instead intend to conduct a sonar survey as part of their investigation.
Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents Steve Clinch said: “The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has now completed its review of the data obtained from last week’s underwater surveys of the wreck of FV Nancy Glen. From this, and other evidence collected, we now know enough about the circumstances of the accident for us to complete our investigation, and we do not intend to recover the wreck.
“Our thoughts are with the families of Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk who have been informed of the decision.”
The government has agreed to examine whether the vessel can be lifted from its position to enable recovery. It would mean raising the vessel to a position just below the surface to allow divers to enter and operate as safely as possible.
The costs of any recovery would also be met by the Scottish Government.
Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “In these tragic and extremely exceptional circumstances, with the Nancy Glen having been lost within sight of the family homes and the wider community, it is only right that the Scottish Government intervenes and works with the families and salvage experts to search the vessel. The money raised through crowdfunding can go to the families rather than the recovery operation. And while there is no guarantee of a successful outcome, I hope our intervention will help bring some closure to the families and friends of Mr MacDougall and Mr Krawczyk.”
A service was held in Tarbert, home to the men, earlier this month where a candle was lit for them.
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