It certainly did Keith, but perhaps if the owners had told him to take the tow instead of faffing about? I sailed with Union Transport for several years. So had a reasonable insight to what occurred from the companies view point. The master had a VHF link with the master of the Union Mars( sister ship) and the chat was along the lines of what are you doing out there in this weather. The reply was get to Arklow discharge and back load stone so we can be laid up along side for Christmas. Well poor souls got that wrong and basically the foolishness of the master cost a lot of good folk their lives.
The Solomon Browne was an old Watson class 47' entering service in 1960. I know they are well maintained but she was 21 years old?