Sonar survey of Nancy Glen to be carried out

Marine investigators do not plan to raise the wreck of a ship which sunk in Loch Fyne, with two men thought to be onboard.

A fundraising campaign to raise the Nancy Glen from the bottom of the sea loch and recover the bodies of Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk has raised more than #150,000.

However, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the 40-foot boat does not need to be moved as part of its safety investigation and will carry out a sonar survey next week.

The fishing vessel capsized in Loch Fyne on January 18 with the alarm raised by a third fisherman who was pulled from the water by the crew of a passing boat.

A major search was launched but no trace of Mr MacDougall or Mr Krawczyk has been found.

The Clyde Fishermen's Trust (CFT) set up a fundraising campaign to recover the missing men and support their families.

The MAIB said it has been in contact with the families about its plans for the safety investigation.

A spokesman said: “The Northern Lighthouse Board vessel NLV Pharos will be conducting a multi-beam sonar survey of the wreck of Nancy Glen for the MAIB next week.

“This is planned to take place on Monday, although it is dependent on weather and sea conditions on the day. Pharos has hull-mounted equipment that operates from the surface to map the seabed and potential obstacles around the wreck, which is lying at a depth of over 140m.

“This data is important to allow us to plan and execute a successful underwater remotely operated vehicle survey of Nancy Glen.

“Currently, we do not anticipate that we will need to raise the wreck of Nancy Glen as part of our safety investigation.''

Earlier this week, Elaine Whyte of the CFT, said it was very likely the men are still in the boat.

She said: “Currently the site of the accident is in view for the families and it would be fair to say they are in torture, knowing their boys to be so close but unrecovered.

“The families are absolutely desperate to reclaim their men, and this would involve the lifting of the vessel. Neither family is interested specifically in the boat, just the men.

“One wife is keen to send her husband home to Poland, the other family just wish to rest their son, father and husband in his home of Tarbert.'