Skipper’s family urge Cullen to have boat raised

THE family of the skipper of a fishing vessel which sank off the south-east six weeks ago are appealing to Transport Minister Martin Cullen to have it raised so a full investigation can be carried out.

The Maggie B sank in rough seas about five miles off Hook Peninsula in Co Wexford on March 29.

One of the crew survived but skipper Glynn Cott from Ballycotton in Cork and Polish crewman Jan Sankowski were never found. Another Polish crew member, Kriston Pawtowski, was rescued.

A dive search of the sunken vessel a week later found no trace of the missing men’s remains.

While a Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) inquiry into the circumstances is continuing, Mr Cott’s family have written to Mr Cullen urging him to allow the tragedy’s cause to be fully established.

“We wrote to him two weeks ago but we’re very disappointed there has been no response,” said Glynn’s 32-year-old sister Sharon.

“Glynn was last seen on the starboard side as the boat went down and my mother Margaret believes his body might be still in or near the boat,” she said.

The family has gathered more than 1,000 signatures since the weekend supporting their petition for the boat to be taken from the seabed.

“We want to determine what caused this tragedy and the boat must be raised to find that out, given its history,” Sharon said.

Glynn’s devastated girlfriend Elaine Hayes yesterday revealed the couple’s planning application for a home was refused just two days after the Maggie B sank. They grew up across the road from each other and had been going out together for eight years.

“It’s just been a nightmare for the last six weeks, we have nothing... Glynn was fishing since he was 15, he knew his stuff so well. There must have been something seriously wrong with the boat for it to go down in less than 90 seconds,” she said.

A Department of Transport spokesperson said the MCIB is an independent agency but it will raise the Maggie B if they consider it necessary to facilitate their investigation. She said efforts are being made to find a suitable date for a meeting between Mr Cott’s family and Mr Cullen or Minister of State Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher.