MFV 'FIONA PATRICIA' SINKS AFTER FIRE

MFV 'FIONA PATRICIA' PICTURED IN CASLETOWNBERE INNER HARBOUR.

Five fishermen from Beara were lucky to escape with their lives after a fire destroyed the MFV 'Fiona Patricia' off the Fastnet Rock on Sept. 4th last.  Skipper Damien Turner, along with crew members Michael Sheehan, Sean Sugrue, Joe Cronin and Pat Sheehan, acted very professionally when they first discovered the fire on board - between the wheelhouse and skipper's sleeping quarters.  Mr. Joe Turner, deputy launching authority for the Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat and father of skipper Damien told us that 'they tried to contain the fire at but when they realised that it was beyond their control, they took the best course of action and launched their liferaft and left the trawler'.  He said the fact that they escaped with their lives was a tribute to the crew's abilities as seafarers and fishermen and their excellent safety record.  The crew regularly did a fire drill and life raft drill - such measures are vital and the events on Tuesday the 4th Sept. proved that, he added.  'The most frightening thing aboard a ship' according to Mr. Turner, 'is fire.  That is why it is vital that fishermen and all seafarers do a recognised safety course. 

The skipper raised the alarm shortly after 2pm and reported the fire to Valencia coast-guard.  They boarded the life-raft and were picked up at 2.50pm by a fishing trawler, the 'Saturnas' and later air-lifted by a Shannon-based marine rescue helicopter to Castletownbere, where they were met by family, friends and well wisheres shortly before 4pm.  'After the many tragedies that have occured in Castletownbere over the last twelve months' Joe Turner said, 'there was an unbelievable sense of relief that they were alive and well.

Two naval patrol boats that were in the area doing training excercises and manoeuvres attended the burning trawler, meanwhile.  The L.E.Ciara and the L.E. Niamh fought the fire foa an hour before a naval fire-fighting cres was able to board the vessel.  Despite their efforts, the trawler was completely destroyed and later sank as it was attempted to tow it ashore.

Damien Turner, was the first fisherman to receive The Irish Quality Association Mark mark for his 22-metre wooden vessel in 1996.