News Release 459:
05 July 2000Prescott says GAUL dive too dangerous
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott today said he would not risk divers' lives on a new underwater expedition to investigate the loss of the fishing trawler Gaul.
In a letter to Mr Justice Steel, Wreck Commissioner for the reopened formal investigation into the loss, Mr Prescott said experts had advised him it was too dangerous.
The Hull-registered Gaul was lost off the North Cape on 8 February, 1974. All 36 crew perished. Mr Justice Steel recommended last month that a manned dive onto the wreck be undertaken this summer.
Mr Prescott instead suggested two alternative options.
"If the Court considers that it remains desirable to undertake an intrusive examination of parts of the wreck, recent developments in small remotely operated vehicles may offer a way forward. It could undertake most of the inspections considered necessary and might also be able to recover selected samples for DNA testing."
He admitted technology would have to be developed to achieve this and the search would need to be postponed until next summer (2001). He added:
"The second option is to take photographs in August of the areas of interest of the exterior of the wreck using improved lighting and cameras attached to a remotely operated vehicle."
Mr Prescott, who received advice from the Health and Safety Executive and two diving consultants, outlined his reasons for rejecting a manned dive.
- The proposed dive is at the very limit of current certification of saturation diving equipment.
- The depth involved appears well beyond recent diving experience in the North Sea.
- Nets surrounding the wreck and fairly constant sea current pose risks.
- A diver experiencing difficulties during the investigation would have limited time to reach the safety of a diving bell.
- Divers risked hypothermia if warm water supplies to their suits failed.
- Short and long-term risks associated with exposure to high water pressures.
Mr Prescott concluded:
"My decision not to proceed with the proposed manned dive is based on consideration of risk alone. It is not acceptable that further lives should be put at risk in investigating the tragic loss of this vessel."
Notes to editors
1. A formal investigation into the loss of the Gaul was held during September and October 1974. It concluded that the vessel capsized and foundered in heavy seas. However, the investigation found no direct evidence of how the tragedy occurred.
2. In August 1997, an expedition funded by UK and Norwegian television companies discovered the wreck of Gaul. The documentary film of the expedition was shown on Channel 4 on 6 November 1997. Following this discovery, and on the recommendation of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) that a more detailed examination of the wreck would be necessary to determine the cause of the sinking of the vessel, the Deputy Prime Minister announced in January 1998 that the Government would undertake a new survey of the wreck. The survey, by the MAIB, was completed in August 1998.
3. Following publication of the MAIB's report in April 1999, Mr Prescott announced that the formal investigation into the loss of Gaul would be re-opened.
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Published 05 July 2000
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