Ship Sinks In Irish Sea.

[Captain Kong]

Now will the Government department listen???
I doubt it, Seafarers are expendable.
Brian.

[Keith Tindell]

Its what Hugh Fearnley Whitigstall did with the fisheries minister with his campaign of discards, fish thrown back in the sea dead, he challenged the minister to go to sea on a trawler, the so called minister could not even identify the fish species in front of him. One hopes this tragic loss of life may cause a rethink on the coast guard cuts!!! hopefully. Keith Tindell

[Chris Allman]

Being a bit of a devils advocate here, the area of the disaster is in fact Holyhead Coastguard area. They did everything right being in familiar waters and fortunately the helicopter from Valley would only have been minutes away from the scene of the disaster, so this is probably why there were two survivors.

However, had the accident occurred some 100 miles further north, and Liverpool Coastguard had been closed, I doubt there would have been any survivors at all, as Holyhead Coastguard would have been operating in unfamiliar waters, unfamiliar sea conditions and unfamiliar lifeboat areas. They would probably have done their best but been handicapped by operational difficulties which would not have been there had Liverpool been open.

This disaster highlights the need for local knowledge and good familiarity with the outside agencies, RNLI, RAF etc with whom you work. This will all be lost in the northern half of the Irish Sea when Liverpool closes and we are in all probability looking at a very much reduced rescue capability for those in trouble in those waters, which also include gas rigs.

I doubt very much if Penning is at all concerned as to what he has done in closing these C.G. Stations, principally because I doubt he knows what actually goes on. How people with no sea going or maritime experience can be allowed to make judgements that he made astounds me and in my judgement, borders on the criminal. These decisions to my mind have been made as a cost cutting exercise, purely that and nothing else, having no regard for the consequences.

I feel sick at heart for all those still having the sea as their workplace and having to work in the Irish Sea.

Chris.

[Captain Kong]

This is Pennings CV, Not a lot of Seafaring Experience.
.
Mike Penning MP, Mike Penning MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport

Biography
The Prime Minister has announced the appointment of Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport.

Mr Penning was born in London and raised in Essex. After school he joined the British Army, serving in the Grenadier Guards, and subsequently worked as a firefighter before going into the family business. He later became a political journalist.

In the 2001 General Election he contested the Thurrock seat for the Conservatives, and in 2005 entered Parliament as the MP for Hemel Hempstead.

He is a dedicated family man, and is passionate about sport particularly Rugby Union and football.

Responsibilities
•Strategic Roads and Highways Agency
•Motoring agencies
•Road Safety and Standards
•Freight and Logistics - including lorry road user charging
•Maritime and Dangerous Goods - (including Maritime and Coastguard Agency)
•Better regulation

[Keith at Tregenna]

A TRIBUTE TO ALL LOST AT SEA:

While we offer all sympathy, the RNLI and others attempt to save lives !

Home From The Sea Lyrics
Chorus

Home, home, home from the sea
Angels of mercy, answer our plea
And carry us home, home, home from the sea
Carry us safely home from the sea.

On a cold winters night
With a storm at its height
The lifeboat answered the call.
They pitched and they tossed
Till we thought they were lost
As we watched from the harbor wall.
Though the night was pitch black,
There was no turning back,
For someone was waiting out there,
But each volunteer
Had to live with his fear
As they joined in a silent prayer.
[Repeat chorus]

As they battled their way
Past the mouth of the bay,
It was blowing like never before.
As they gallantly fought,
Every one of them thought
Of loved ones back on the shore.
Then a flicker of light
And they knew they were right.
There she was on the crest of a wave.
She's an old fishing boat
And she's barely afloat.
Please God, there are souls we can save.
CHORUS

And back in the town
In a street that runs down
To the sea and the harbor wall,
They'd gathered in pairs
At the foot of the stairs
To wait or the radio call.
And just before dawn
When all hope had gone
Came a hush and a faraway sound.
'Twas the coxswain he roared
All survivors on board
Thank God and we're homeward bound.
[Chorus]

An example - LINK: "Home from the Sea" - YouTube

LINK 2: The Lifeboat song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI3xt...eature=related

Our prayers are with all in distress and also with the possible rescuers.

Sad:

K.

[Ron Kendall]

The Swanland left Workington in atrocious weather conditions on Friday around 10 am, at teatime Friday she was just past Whitehaven, almost at St Bees Head, on her way to Raynes Jetty, she then went towrds Douglas Isle of Man, and I thought shelter, but she went on, and loaded her cargo. She then set off for Cowes , perhaps both trips should have been delayed, due to the sea state, then no lives would have been lost, I followed her movements on AIS, and although there were other ships at sea, perhaps they had not taken a battering the previous day, the Swanland was taking quite a pounding in the Solway, and only doing a few knots at best, very sad state of affairs, British owned, Russian crewed, Cook Islands Flag.

[Captain Kong]

The Swanland left Workington in atrocious weather conditions on Friday around 10 am, at teatime Friday she was just past Whitehaven, almost at St Bees Head, on her way to Raynes Jetty, she then went towrds Douglas Isle of Man, and I thought shelter, but she went on, and loaded her cargo. She then set off for Cowes , perhaps both trips should have been delayed, due to the sea state, then no lives would have been lost, I followed her movements on AIS, and although there were other ships at sea, perhaps they had not taken a battering the previous day, the Swanland was taking quite a pounding in the Solway, and only doing a few knots at best, very sad state of affairs, British owned, Russian crewed, Cook Islands Flag.

I have come across this situation many times, The Company are more interested in the profits than the lives of Seafarers,
"Get to your destination as quick as you can and get another cargo, If you cant do it then we will get a Master who can".
I was on one ship a few years ago, when the Hurricane was blowing along the South Coast and Seven Oaks became One Oak. I was actually going astern trying to get around the North Foreland so I ran for shelter in the lee of the land off Deal and anchored. The Ship Manager phoned me, Are you in New haven yet? I said No because the wind is blowing 100 knots.` What???? there is no wind here.` He lived in the New Forest. Get your Ar5e round there quick I have another cargo for you`. I made it two days late, He was going berserk, tho` he had read the papers and seen the TV News.
Planes do the same.
I was flying home from Lerwick, Shetlands in a screaming gale that never stopped one January after working up on the Brent. I was in Lerwick Sumborough Airport for three days, Planes going no where, then we boarded and the plane was bouncing around and we needed the seat belts on even tho` we were stationary. Then suddenly he took off, We lifted off and turned over sideways and I was lay against the window looking down at a pile of rocks and crashing seas. I wet my knickers. We eventually bounced up through the clouds and rock and rolled all the way to Aberdeen. The screaming storm was just as bad there, On approach we turn on our side again , the wing tips verticle, landing aborted, we did this three times circling around and after the third attempt he went over the North Sea and dumped the fuel, then came in for a fourth attempt and bounced down the runway like a tennis ball. I was sat by the stern door and was first one off, I legged it to the bar in the terminal and stood next to the Pilot who was already getting through a glass of whisky. You were bloody quick` I said. `He says, `your lucky I have to take her back to Lerwick` I asked him what was the air speed limit for take offs, He says 45 knots, I says `What was the wind speed when we took off, He says, ` 70 knots.` Why did you do it`, He says, If I hadnt done it then they would get someone else to do it, and I would be out of a job, simple as that.`
So Airlines are as bad as Shipowners. If you dont take it out we will get someone who will.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Apparently the search has been called off.

May Our God Save All Soul's.

RIP:

K.

[EIFION]

It is so sad that it looks like 5 of our fellow seaman have lost their lives off Bardsey Island, this sea area is under the control of Holyhead Coast guard station which fortunately won its recent appeal against the cuts from this insane government of ours. It is now the RAF rescue flight at Valley that is under threat. No doubt some members will blame the Unions or the imigrants, they usually do

[Captain Kong]

No doubt some members will blame the Unions or the imigrants, they usually do
Eifion
.
.

Eifion
I doubt if anyone would blame the immigrants or Unions, There is absolutely no connection. I do not see why you should mention that.
Cheers
Brian