Fateful trawler with five crew was too heavy, finds investigation

A TRAWLER that sank with the loss of five crew members almost two years ago had a heavier load than ever before at the time of the tragedy, according to an investigation.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has found that on the evening the Pere Charles sank, its herring load resulted in it being deeper in the water than before, increasing the likelihood of water entering the shelter deck.

An accumulation of water would have caused the vessel to become unstable, the report concludes, leading the eventual “heeling and sinking” of the Pere Charles.