Hopes fade for missing crew

FEARS were growing last night for the safety of two fishermen missing since their 15-metre fishing vessel, the Maggie B, went down five miles off the Hook Peninsula in county Wexford in rough seas just before midnight on Wednesday.

It emerged last night that the ill-fated vessel, which only got its seaworthiness certificate in February of this year, sank off the British coast in November 1993 when it was four years old. It was chartered as the “Gilsea” at that time but its name was later changed to the Maggie B.

The boat’s life raft, which failed to inflate in the icy waters, was recovered yesterday, as were a number of fish boxes from the vessel. Other debris was drifting towards Dunmore East.

Skipper Glen Cott, 30, from Ballycotton in Co Cork, can’t swim. The single man, who has a long-time girlfriend, was last seen by his Polish employee, Kristan Pawtowski, 30, who survived the sinking at the bridge side of the vessel. Mr Cott was still missing last night, as was his other Polish crewman, Jan Sankowski, 45.

Mr Pawtowski managed to cling to a flotation device until he was rescued 50 minutes later by the Dunmore East lifeboat.

But for its swift dispatch, he too could have been missing at sea. He was at Waterford Regional Hospital last night, where he was being treated for severe hypothermia.

The LE Ciara was joined in the search for the missing men in the water three miles off the Wexford Coast yesterday by the Waterford Coast Guard Helicopter, seven trawlers, Kilmore Quay lifeboat and a crew from Dunmore East.

Search crews returning for a change of shift yesterday morning after 10 hours at sea were anxious to go back out, such was their determination to find the men alive.

There were heart-breaking scenes of emotion as the search mission revived sad memories of when the Rising Sun sank around the same area at the end of November. Its skipper, Pat Colfer, has still not been found.

The Maggie B sank quickly, possibly within 90 seconds of water first being spotted below deck, Mr Pawtowski told those searching for the other men, Chris Reynolds of the Irish Coastguard Service said yesterday.

“Both Polish crew men were separated from the skipper. The man rescued was able to cling to a life raft until the rescue team got to him about 50 minutes later,” he said.

Weather conditions overnight were rough and other boats out fishing joined in the search missing as soon as the mayday call was recorded.