WEST KERRY: Another trawler runs into difficulty in Dingle
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Wednesday September 01 2010
FOR the second time in only a week the rescue services were tasked to deal with an incident involving a foreign fishing vessel in Dingle. Last Friday evening the Spanish registered Anchousa had just left the harbour when she struck the Crow Rock. The vessel continued to steam westwards for a time but then stopped to assess her condition and shortly afterwards headed back into port. The rescue services were tasked by Valentia Coast Guard after it was reported that the trawler was leaking diesel fuel. The local Irish Coast Guard launched their RIB and raced towards the damaged vessel.
Dingle harbour master Brian Farrell issued instructions for the trawler to leave the harbour to prevent a possible major pollution incident.
Anchousa turned and headed back out into Dingle Bay where she was met by the Valentia lifeboat which stood off in case of emergency.
The Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene to monitor the situation, especially the oil slick that had spread around the mouth of the harbour.
Meanwhile, Fungie ferry operators became concerned for the welfare of the famous dolphin, according to the local boatmen's association chairman, Jimmy Flannery Jnr.
"This is unbelievable! Last week we had a French trawler, Concerto, on the rocks at the harbour's mouth and now this! Some of us went to coax Fungie away from the oil spillage which was quite serious in some parts of the harbour's mouth. It took us a while to get him away from the worst of it but, thankfully, there was an ebb tide which took the diesel out into the bay. We're very concerned about these two incidents and we'll be expressing those concerns to the harbour authorities," he told The Kerryman.
The rescue helicopter flew over the harbour and the bay to assess the extent of the oil slick before returning to Shannon.
The other rescue services were stood down at midnight.
The helicopter returned again at first light on Saturday to see if there had been any further oil spillage overnight and, satisfied that the situation had been contained, the Marine Survey Office allowed the vessel back into port that morning.
Divers undertook an underwater survey of the trawler at the pier during the day and the vessel was surrounded by an oil boom as a precaution.
Ancousa underwent temporary repairs on Monday before being allowed to leave port.
The vessel has landed fish in Dingle in the past and the authorities are still at a loss to explain how the accident happened.
