| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Pool Fisher |
| Owner | James Fisher & Sons |
| Port of registry | Barrow-in-Furness |
| Launched | 1959 |
| Identification | IMO number: 5282029 |
| Fate | Sank, 6 November 1979 |
| General characteristics[1] | |
| Type | General cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 1,028.19 GT |
| Length | 208 ft (63 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft 5 in (10.19 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 11knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) |
| Crew | 15 |
M/VPool Fisher was a Britishmerchant vessel that sank off theIsle of Wight on 6 November 1979 with the loss of most of her crew.
Pool Fisher was built in Holland and launched in 1959.
On 3 November 1979Pool Fisher arrived atHamburg from Norway in ballast. She had a crew of 15, and one passenger, the wife of the Chief Engineer, aboard. At about 13:00 the same day she sailed from Hamburg carrying 1,250 tonnes ofmuriate of potash in bulk, bound forRuncorn.[1]
At 22:50 on 5 November theEsso Penzance sightedPool Fisher about eleven miles south ofBrighton, steering erratically and seemingly down by the head, in heavy seas. At 05:47 on 6 November thecoast radio station atNiton received aMayday call fromPool Fisher.[1] Within minutes Niton passed the information to thecoastguard, which immediately alerted theYarmouth andBembridge lifeboats and scrambledSAR helicopters fromLee-on-Solent, and later fromPortland andCuldrose. The search and rescue operation was carried out, in severe weather conditions, by three Royal Navy warships, includingHMS Cardiff, six merchant vessels and two lifeboats, assisted by four helicopters.[2]
The only two survivors fromPool Fisher, deckhands Donald Crane and Mark Fook, were both off-watch and asleep below when they were roused by the bosun and ordered on deck. By the time they arrived there the ship was listing heavily to port, and both were washed off the deck by heavy seas. They were finally rescued by helicopters of the Fleet Air Arm[1] after spending over five hours holding on tocargo hatch boards from the sunken ship. Both were suffering from severe hypothermia and were taken toHaslar Naval Hospital for treatment.[3]
The wreck ofPool Fisher was later located in a position 6.6 miles (10.6 km) offSt. Catherine's Point, bearing 232°.[1]
The court of inquiry concluded that her sinking was due to the failure of the No.1 hatch, which had only three hatch locking wires fitted, instead the eight required, and some of her securing cleats were defective. This allowed the rapid entry of a large quantity of water into the hold, first putting her down by the head and then causing her to list, and then capsize. Responsibility for this failure was placed on her Master, John Maclaren Stewart, and the Mate, Francis William Cooper, neither of whom survived.[1]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1979 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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