River Clyde.

Amber1 · 20 December 2007, 17:04

Some forum members may be aware of the tragic accident yesterday afternoon on the River Clyde involving the Flying Phantom Tug, which capsized during operations, where three crew are missing.

This powerful and majestic vessel has been a regular sight on the river in recent times, and is probably known to many of the RIB community on the river.

I am sure that all those who are involved in boating on the Clyde, and particularly those from the RIB community, would wish to pass on that their thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of those involved at this very difficult time.

Bigmuz7 · 20 December 2007, 17:58

For sure.... As I understand it, it happenend at the Renfrew ferry crossing area, which is a narrow part, any idea what actually happened ?

havener · 20 December 2007, 18:23

Likewise, condolences to all the families involved. There can never be a good time to lose family, but this time of year must be about the worst of the worst.

I haven't yet seen clear details of what happened - Svitzer are a well renowned company with a well kept fleet and skilled, experienced crew, operating port towage in many UK and worldwide ports.

What seems doubly tragic is just how close to the riverbank the vessel was.

With the Bourbon Dolphin in April, and now this, it certainly hasn't been a good year for towage in Scots waters.

It seems, according to the MCA, that the vessel grounded whilst towing another. Not sure whether that led to a roll, or whether there were problems before then.

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-pr...98&m=12&y=2007

Simon

JIY · 20 December 2007, 20:29

A terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to all the families involved. It always seems much worse when it is close to home.

It was very cold here last night and the thick fog on the river will have made the search very difficult indeed. I guess that the formal investigation will determine the cause of the accident, but it certainly looks like the three casualties had no time to escape from the capsizing vessel. It was very lucky that the one survivor was heard from the riverbank before hypothermia set in.

A very sad end to the boating year on the Clyde.

Rogue Wave · 20 December 2007, 20:33

Rest In Peace

IBWET · 21 December 2007, 05:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amber1

Some forum members may be aware of the tragic accident yesterday afternoon on the River Clyde involving the Flying Phantom Tug, which capsized during operations, where three crew are missing.

This powerful and majestic vessel has been a regular sight on the river in recent times, and is probably known to many of the RIB community on the river.

I am sure that all those who are involved in boating on the Clyde, and particularly those from the RIB community, would wish to pass on that their thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of those involved at this very difficult time.

Eric,

We regularly see almost on a daily basis three tugs, beige in colour travelling in convoy up and down the clyde on route to Hunterson. last night there were only two.

Our thoughts are with the families.

springtide66 · 21 December 2007, 11:50

Very sad.
Thoughts are with all involved....

speedy · 25 December 2007, 17:35

I know this area of the river like the back of my hand. It is early days yet to say what happened but running out into the river quite far there is the slipway from the old John Browns shipyard where the Cunard liners were built and slipped. It is marked about 10 ft from the end of it by lit port marker on a stand. At low tide the slipway is fully exposed, as you can imagine it is very large! It really is about the only thing to hit there.Other than a quay wall or the shallow rising bank on the other side. It was very thick for that evening. In fact I had a night navigation planned for an advanced student and I phoned him to say we had better call it off. He thought i was being funny because he said that it was a clear as a bell down the estuary only 12 miles away where the tugs and ship came from.

Fog was not forecast but sometimes it does that, clear until you hit the very narrow part of the river about 8 miles from Glasgow.

A local heard a very loud metallic thump.

It appears that the tug may have run aground and there was a problem with the towline disengaging.

It is a problem with tugs, as you probably know, entanglement of the towline on the superstructure can lead to disaster, the moving ship can spin it round and capsize it in seconds. Leaving the crew little or no time for escape.

Im not saying this is what happened, but running through all possibilities of what could happen in that part of the river it could be possible.

We had a similar running aground with the same tug in 2001 I believe and at the time a Notice to Mariners was issued about not relying on Radar in the fog on the river.

Rogue Wave · 26 December 2007, 14:40

learnt at sea are nearly always written in the blood of others less fortunate

Poly · 30 September 2008, 21:33

MAIB report published today:

http://www.maib.gov.uk/latest_news/flying_phantom.cfm

Nemo_01 · 01 October 2008, 19:38

Did anyone see this after the report was issued?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7644134.stm