Close call: Cork fishing vessel has narrow escape from trawler

The crew of the West Cork inshore potter Celtic Dawn had a close call this morning when a Spanish fishing vessel steamed within a few metres of its stern.

The 12-metre Celtic Dawn owned by Kieran Sullivan was hauling pots about two-and-half miles west of Dursey island off the Beara peninsula at about 9.30am.

“We saw the boat coming a good bit off, and became aware that it wasn’t changing course,” Mr Sullivan, who had two crew on board, said.

French-registered

The vessel was identified as a French-registered Spanish fishing vessel heading out to sea from Castletownbere, Co Cork.

“I had to put the boat in gear to go forward, and get a knife ready to cut our equipment involving strings of 60 pots,” Mr Sullivan said.

“If it had been foggy, we would have been in trouble,” he said.

“We were 12 metres and it was nearly 30 metres, and if we had stayed where we were it would have gone through us,” he said.

“I think it wasn’t malice but there was no one in the wheelhouse, and they were kind of past us when they spotted us,” he said.

He said there was a similar incident on Saturday 8th, two days ago, when a vessel was within 150 yards of them before turning away.

‘Proper lookout’

International maritime rules on safe navigation state that “every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions”.

As the Celtic Dawn was hauling static gear, it had the right of way.

In March 1997, a west Cork skipper, Danny “Boy” O’Driscoll (42), of Castletownbere, lost his life when his 16-metre vessel Exodus was hit by the 32-metre Spanish vessel, Sea Horse some 10 miles southwest of Dursey island.