Daily Archives: June 4, 2022
From injury to impact: a timeline of the eight critical moments that led up to R116 crash
Shortly after 9.15pm on March 13, 2017, the F/V King’s Cross trawler was on the northern edge of Porcupine Bank when Captain William Buchan told his crew to haul in the net. It was a perfectly normal request of his crew. However, it set off a chain of events so tragic and inconceivable that it still haunts all those involved in the R116 tragedy more than five years later. Fisherman James John Strachan was assigned to one side of the vessel. While attempting to clear a section of netting that had become trapped, his right hand became entangled. Capt Buchan contacted Ian Scott, the Coast Guard radio operator at Malin Head Marine Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC). Mr Scott listened with concern as Capt Buchan detailed his crewman’s condition. Immediately after establishing the vessel’s position, Mr Scott said, “It is within range of our helicopter, and he will come and get your man off the boat.” >click to read< 15:39
Sister of tragic R116 captain Dara Fitzpatrick’s incredible gesture after ‘tough week’ as inquest ends – THE sister of tragic Rescue 116 captain Dara Fitzpatrick has told how she would love to “host a documentary on loss and grief”. Dr Niamh Fitzpatrick said a number of people have contacted her to thank her for talking about loss after the inquest into the horror Rescue 116 crash finished this week. >click to read< 17:53
To bee or not to bee – Bees are legally fish in California
A ruling by a California appeals court in the United States has extended the legal protection of endangered species to bumblebees and, in effect, classified them as fish. The court’s decision will allow California to legally protect these endangered, native garden-keepers and help maintain the state’s biodiversity, which is crucial to keeping ecosystems resilient. The court found that “fish” may be commonly understood to refer to aquatic species, but the interpretation of the term in the legislature is “not so limited”. >click to read< 12:07
Shrimping season begins in Georgia
The official Georgia shrimping season kicked off two days ago on June 1. This means that the Georgia coastline is now open for shrimping. The crew on the F/V Miss Marion hit the waters of the Georgia Coast for opening day. “We just made one couple day trip.” They brought back about 1500 pounds of shrimp which Pittman says is a bit less than they normally catch this time of year. “We usually do a lot better than that, which is why this wasn’t really a good opening. We usually would rather wait until the middle of the month or so,” said shrimper Joey Pittman. Video, >click to read< 10:09
Middle school lobstermen take survival training
On May 26, a group of 10 middle schoolers gathered for a U.S. Coast Guard-certified drill conductor training session at the Blue Hill YMCA/Lawrence Fitness Center. The kids, whose ages ranged from 9 to 13, are all residents of Deer Isle or Stonington and have student lobster licenses. (The minimum age for a student lobster and crab fishing license is 8). The training session started in a classroom on Wednesday, where the kids learned about fire extinguishers, flares and other safety measures, before moving poolside Thursday. This training is unique in that it is “one of the only programs in Maine to target middle school aged lobstermen,” said Matt Montgomery. Photos, >click to read< 08:40
