Cork boat owners urged to use caution around site of sunken trawler
Workers from LCFMarine placing an oil boom around the fishing trawler Sceptre which sank at the pier in Union Hall. Picture: Dan Linehan
Boat owners are being urged to be cautious when navigating near the Union Hall site of a sunken trawler.
The sinking of Sceptre was captured in a photograph taken with a drone by photographer Andy Gibson.
The photograph shows the 23m trawler almost entirely submerged in shallow water off Keelbeg Pier in the West Cork harbour.
The sinking is the latest chapter in the story of a boat that has been linked to tragedy in the past.
Fisher Aidan Burke (aged 20) from Drishane Road, Millstreet, Co Cork, was washed overboard in November 2000 when the Sceptre trawler was fishing out of Union Hall in very heavy seas near the Seven Heads area, between the Old Head of Kinsale and Dunworley Bay.
The trawler is understood to have been berthed in the harbour for around five or six years, and had not fished in that time.
While the boat is not a write-off, although it would need a substantial refit after the sinking, and could probably cost as much as €1m to repair.
It is unclear what happened, but the fact that it had not been used for so long could have contributed to it sinking.
In a statement, Cork County Council said it has convened its oil spill assessment team as part of its oil spill contingency plan in response to the sinking of Sceptre on Sunday night.
It confirmed that there was no crew on board at the time.
“The area around the vessel was sealed off to contain oil pollution risk,” the council said.
“Oils are being removed from within the containment area on a continuous basis, using absorbent booms and pads.
“The site continues to be monitored on a 24-hour basis.
“Mariners in the vicinity of Keelbeg Pier are advised to navigate in the area with caution.
“Further updates will be issued when available.”
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