No decision to update laws after trawler incident

As investigations continued yesterday into the weekend sinking of an Irish trawler following a collision with a French vessel 70 miles west of Loop Head, the Department of the Marine confirmed no decision had been made to update legislation on similar incidents.

However, it said last night that it had asked the Attorney General's office to report back with a legal opinion as quickly as possible.

Preliminary inquiries into the collision between the 22-metre Oilean Cleire and the 33-metre Rohellan indicate the sinking was accidental. It is believed the French vessel snagged the Irish trawler's nets as it was hauling, and as a result Rohellen's propellor was fouled.

The Naval Service patrol ship, LE Aisling, towed the French craft into Cobh, with the assistance of a port tug, early yesterday, and naval divers assisted in the examination of the propellor.

A Department of the Marine investigation team interviewed the skipper of the Rohellan.

The investigation will also involve interviewing the crewman who was airlifted off the Rohellan. At a special sitting of Midleton District Court yesterday, Judge Michael Patwell granted a 48-hour detention order against the skipper and crew of the French trawler. The order expires at 11.55 a.m. tomorrow. The court heard that a fishery officer, Mr Pat Scanlon, needed more time to examine undersized fish on board, as he suspected there were more such fish on the Rohellan.