Matthew Xuereb
Simshar caught fire, rescuers report
Full-time fishermen, part-time rescuers
Mark Bugeja, captain of the Grecale, who gave details of the rescue mission to reporters at Marsaxlokk yesterday, indicates the floats the crew tried to survive on. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.
Having seen his fishing boat engulfed in flames and holding on to dear life on a small makeshift raft for days, the first thing Simon Bugeja, the sole survivor of the Simshar tragedy, told his rescuers was that everyone on board had died, including his father and his son.
Mark Bugeja, 28, the master of the 20-metre long fishing boat Grecale, which rescued Simon and participated in the search for the other four people, was speaking to reporters when he arrived in Marsaxlokk at 7 a.m. yesterday.
The Simshar tragedy stole the lives of Simon Bugeja's father Karmenu, 61, Noel Carabott, 33, and Somali Abdulrahman Abdala Gedi, 21.
Simon Bugeja's 11-year-old son Teo is still missing although his father told his rescuers he had died.
Despite earlier reports that the fishing vessel was destroyed by an explosion, his rescuers yesterday recounted how Simon told them that a fire in the engine room had destroyed the boat.
Mr Bugeja explained the heart-breaking rescue mission which started last Monday when he left his expectant wife at home and joined fellow fisherman Malcolm Degabriele, 30, in a bid to find the missing vessel and the five people on board. Simon's uncle, Joe (Karmenu's brother), and his son Joseph joined them.
Pointing at the raft which Simon put together hastily, Mr Bugeja said he felt "uncontainable happiness" when he saw Simon waving as they were approaching him, having been spotted by Mr Degabriele.
He said Simon built the raft, made out of four blocks of polystyrene fishermen used to keep long lines afloat, and a net full of empty plastic bottles of water and empty detergent containers. He also held up the grey and green T-shirt Simon was wearing when they rescued him.
"Simon's first words were: 'The others are all dead'. He was frail and had barely enough energy to speak.
"We gave him some water and soon after he started relating what had happened. The patrol boat and the helicopter came to collect him in no time and rushed him to hospital," Mr Bugeja, who also looked extremely tired after a week out at sea, said. He recalled drinking coffee continuously in order to keep awake so the search could continue at night.
He said Simon related how in the afternoon of July 10, when they were just five hours away from Malta, Simon smelt something burning. He went to the engine room and found one of the engines on fire. He did not have time to get hold of the CO2 fire extinguisher and went back up and tried to open the life raft but this did not work. Simon told his rescuers the satellite phone did not work either and that the vessel started taking in water. His son, Mr Carabott and Mr Abdala Gedi were asleep at the time.
Simon got the floats and threw them overboard. All five of them then abandoned the vessel and for more than six hours watched the fibreglass Simshar sink slowly, engulfed in flames.
Mr Bugeja said Simon tied with rope the floats together and took it in turns to rest on the raft. Simon said he told the others not to drink seawater but they were dehydrated and drank it anyway.
Mr Bugeja said the vessel sank in the early hours the following day.
Mr Abdala Gedi died on Saturday. Last night the police said that an autopsy on the corpse recovered from the sea and identified as that of Mr Abdala Gedi, showed that he had died of asphyxia due to drowning and burns.
Simon related to his rescuers how Mr Carabott removed his clothes to cover little Teo who was freezing in the water. Mr Carabott succumbed on Sunday.
Karmenu was the next one to die, leaving father and son alone holding on to dear life.
Last Thursday, a day before he was rescued, Simon said his son started to get weaker and died before sunset that day. The father held on to his son all through the night but Teo started to slip off the raft until, at one point, Simon was holding on to him with one hand. Eventually, Teo slipped from his tired hand on Friday morning, a few hours before the rescue.
The search for Teo continues. Mr Bugeja said that during the rescue operation they were stopping every vessel they saw, informing them about the search so that they would keep a lookout for the vessel.
At the time they did not know that the Simshar had caught fire and sank. He said an Italian patrol boat they came across close to Lampedusa told them they had not received any calls for assistance to join the search.
Mr Bugeja said they too had their fair share of problems. The day after they left, one engine failed and they had to continue the rescue operation on one engine. He estimated they used about 8,000 litres of fuel during the rescue operation.
He said he was extremely happy that it was them who rescued the only survivor of this tragedy.
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In Discussion
43 Comments
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RAY BUGEJA
Jul 26th 2008, 15:37
A friend of mine phoned me to have a look to the comments on this website.
I never tought that in the Maltese Islands we have such a cruel person like Daphne Caruana Galizia with out any heart.
Shame on you Daphne.
MARK BUGEJA
Jul 25th 2008, 21:33
Some parts of my first paragraph of my recent post were missing. Here it is how it should be.
Even if I was not with Simon the day of the accident but I was with him from last Friday when I found him alive in the sea with the boat GRECALE on some floats he created. Today ,after talking for quite long with him every day I feel the tragedy in my heart and beleive me it is not an easy moment for him. . Even for me that I was not with him, but I was for 8 days searching everywhere for them. Since then everyday I talk with Simon with the mobile or hospital visits I feel really sorry that me or other boats couldn't find his son, the young Theo.
MARK BUGEJ
Jul 25th 2008, 18:28
Hi,
Even if I was with Simon the day of the accident but I was with him from last Friday when I found him alive in the sea on some floats he created with the boat GRECALE. Since then everyday I talk with Simon with the mobile or hospital visits.
I can assure everyone, that the boat was equipped with all the necessarily safety equipment. So maybe you are asking why he did not make use of any of them? Simple, because they had no time. Although the boat took few hours to sink, it took only few minutes for the fire to burn it. It was too late to do something. The only thing Simon had time to do were, waking up the others that were sleeping, went to switch off the main switches of the batteries, tried to use the CO2 bottle to switch of the fire but he burned himself, then last thing that he did before all of them jumped in the sea, was to try to use the LifeCraft. He pulled the rope so it opens, but it did not. Rare but sometimes LifeCraft do not open.
Mark Bugeja
Ron Vella
Jul 24th 2008, 22:54
Come on everybody. Are we the same Maltese that boast to donate money in the programme 'ISTRINA'. Stop being silly. Please do respect these people. Suddenley here we have a number of experts who think they are some guru at sea. Be more respectful to people who died in their line of duty. Why do you have to blame Simon ? The vessel was a state of the art equipped with latest technology. Have anybody of you ever seen Discovery channel ? Things happen in a chain reaction and in a series of unfortunate events.
@ Max Farrugia
Please respect that lady who lost her son. Put yourself in her position my friend and think about the sorrow she is passing. Certain comments like the one of Daphne and friends are a shame and moreover reflect the charachter of such persons. So lets all be the Maltese I remember and in times like these be more understandable and refrain from using media to judge someone who after all was out there to earn his living. My last comment goes to captain Mark Bugeja and friends. Proud to have people like you in Malta. Limited resources but can do miracles. Ty
Max Farrugia
Jul 24th 2008, 18:29
It will be interested if the wife of Simon Bugeja will be interviewed following what have been stated by Noel's wife regarding the contacts they had between them before the AFM were contacted. So far for some reason who we do not know why she have not uttered a single word.
M.Farrugia
Xemxija
Odette Longo
Jul 24th 2008, 17:08
Why the animosity towards DCG ???
Her queries are quite valid.
Surely relatives, friends, and all concerned must by now be desperate for an explanation as to why the life-raft didn't work; why were no flares set off and where were the life-jackets. Sadly, the consequences are horrific but nonetheless there .
Basic safety measures are taken/followed for our benefit and to save lives.... and this boat seems to have been fairly lacking in this respect especially since it was relatively new and supposedly fully equipped.
Hindsight is a cruel teacher.
Re the rescue:- I'm sure everybody did their best but in my personal opinion (for all it's worth) nobody knows the sea better than a fisherman..... they should have been sent out from the get-go to join in the search.
Charles Gafa'
Jul 24th 2008, 09:52
@DCG
Real example of how a person like DCG makes a living is by expressing themselves against the current to raise an issue,GOOD JOB. Since when you were promoted to a journalist investigator to comment on facts where by no means you have no idea of what happened? If we are to mention GOD he failed in two main happenings where "sinfull" 11 year old Theo was left in extreme conditions for nearly 200 hrs with his father,where slipped from his father's arms few hours before he was rescued by fishermen and 2nd worst of all letting people like you expressing their vile accusations and conclussions on media for all to read .What a shame for whom you represent.
NEGLIGENCE is the example of a parent with an "IDEAL" upbringing of a son where in front of simple camera reacted in rude gesture and offending media, and those authorities with all tools at hand like the "VMS" who start to react after 4 days missing in action and defenitly NOT the fishermen were negligent who did their best to save thier lives in a panic state.
Philip M. Bonello
Jul 24th 2008, 09:20
It seems to me that this one-and-a-half year old boat which had all the available technology did not have a fire fighting system installed in the engine room; did not have useable life-rafts; did not have life jackets with beacons for the crew, not even for the minor who should not have been there in the first place. Was the boat certified for sea-worthiness? When where the fire extinguishers last tested and where were they placed? When was the life raft last tested, and by whom? Are there a certificates to cover these? Why was a child allowed on a working boat? What caused the explosion?
J Pace
Jul 23rd 2008, 23:36
@Ron Vella
I am not trying to defend DCG or anyone else for that matter, but I think that some of her comments regarding safety on board the Simshar may be spot on and I dont think anyone is saying these things to hurt Simon Bugeja or his family. And at the end of the day, was any one of us on board "the vessel on that tragic night?" Unfortunately though it can perhaps be concluded that not enough safety equipment was on board the vessel to be used in this kind of emergency.
Ron Vella
Jul 23rd 2008, 18:45
@ Daphne Caruana Galizia
Where is your heart? Do you pretend to be the judge and jury on this case. Did it come to your mind that by your comments you hurt Simon's relatives. May I ask you a simple question ? WHERE YOU ON THE VESSEL ON THAT TRAGIC NIGHT ? How can you jump to conclusions when you don't know the facts. Are you a fisherman too ?? Please do refrain from such COMMENTS and don't hurt peoples emotions. If this is your concept of GOD as a punisher, then I must say that you have failed in religion too. Did you bear in mind what Simon is going through ? Let us all pray the merciful GOD to help these people in these hard times, and that mother of this young boy to heal part of her wound by finding the corpse of little Theo.
@ Simon and all related to this Tagedy
Please forgive her WE MALTESE ARE NOT ALL LIKE DAPHNE, WE DO HAVE A HEART
E.Cordina
Jul 23rd 2008, 16:40
I think that far too many people are rushing to judgement without knowing all the facts. Let us await the conclusion of the official inquest. On many an occasion all parties involved (in this case the boat's crew, AFM and authorities) are found to have been lacking in certain areas.
martin portelli
Jul 23rd 2008, 16:38
is it true that the AFM very recently lost two of its most seasoned and highly trained search and rescue logistic operators because they were persistently by passed for promotion i.e. they opted for early retirement and the army lost valuable human resource? Apart from the demands of the illegal immigration humanitarian missions , why else would the search and rescue unit be in difficulty over a home emergency?
Robert Micallef
Jul 23rd 2008, 09:56
@DCG
Please stick at what you know best -ie- Criticizing Alfred Sant.
If some of you went to Marsaxlokk and spoke to the fishermen fraternity you would know how and why these fishermen could be saved easily. There could have been a lot which could be done but here in Malta we take action after the tragedy has happened!
Denis Catania
Jul 23rd 2008, 03:41
Mark Bugeja you are a hero.You should be awarded with Malta's highest civilian medal for heroism.
p.grima
Jul 23rd 2008, 01:27
I agree with Daphne Caruana Galizia. Why wasn't ANY safety and satellite equipment used? Was the boat fitted with such apparatus? How come not one life jacket was used even though there was a non-swimmer on board? Did they dare to go out into the open sea unprepared? What really caused the fire/explosion?
The price paid is surely much higher than the cost of all or any such equipment.
May God Almighty have mercy on their souls and console the bereaved.
D.Bartolo
Jul 22nd 2008, 22:24
Any seafarer should know that what is or should be an automatic piece of equipment is prone to failure. That is why rigid life rafts, life jackets and other permanent bouyancy devices should be carried at hand at all times. Not to mention epirbs, satelite tracking devices, flares and many other safety equipment, of which none apart from a liferaft which did not open where present.
We now have the AFM, Manoel Island Yatch Yard, the Goverment and who else yet to be named responsible for such a tragedy.
Is the presence of an 11 year old boy on such fishing trips with no safety equipment at hand on board a clever one?
Maybe Simon today, more than any other one of us is able to answer that!!
Bernardette Gauci
Jul 22nd 2008, 20:47
Deepest condolences to the families. I know quite a bit what they were feeling when day after day, they had no news of their loved ones. My father was lost at sea 5 years ago, and thank God was found after 4 days at sea on his boat. The AFM were very helpful during the search and were always ready and willing to inform us on the search. It was the Orion Plane that found my father, after the AFM asked for help from Segonella. You cannot blame the Armed Forces if they only have one plane to search and which has to refuel after a few hours. I think the government should invest in more patrol boats and other planes, and not spend precious money on unneeded stuff!!!! After all, it's life or death situations. Why is it in Malta that things get done after somebody loses a life? We will never learn.
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jul 22nd 2008, 20:23
@Christian Caruana - you seem to assume that just because something is the law, people comply with it. You also missed the point that Mr Bugeja's father couldn't swim. If the makeshift raft wasn't cobbled together before they went into the water, he would have drowned.
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jul 22nd 2008, 20:13
There is no doubt that the owner of the Simshar was deeply negligent if he put to sea with NO safety equipment and a satellite phone as the sole means of communication. But he has been punished in the most severe manner possible, by losing his father and his son as a consequence.
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jul 22nd 2008, 20:11
Joanne Micallef, if you're the one from the ANR- funny how your heart aches for the Bugeja family but turns stone cold when it comes to the hundreds of people who have perished in similar circumstances while crossing from Africa.
Adrian Camilleri
Jul 22nd 2008, 19:59
We all cannot but accept the fact that the whole experience must have been terrible, and we all sympathise with all who are directly or indirectly concerned with the incident. However, the majority of us now accept that an official investigation be held, as certain things being mentioned more recently appear to somewhat complicate the whole issue. The use of life-jackets, diesel or petrol, explosion or fire, radio or satellite contact, then the actual searches, all make this the more complicated. But, my goodness how lucky Simon was! And what a dramatic experience! The majority are now eager to get the official enquiry going, and for the public to learn of the eventual findings.
Mark Brincat
Jul 22nd 2008, 19:11
@ Joseph Borg
Well spoken, some information is being kept secret.
Joseph Borg
Jul 22nd 2008, 19:02
None of the electronics experts mentioned a device called EBIRB. This is a waterproof battery operated device which you attach to your arm by means of a strap should you end up in water and constantly transmits your geographical position to the authorities concerned.
Joseph Borg
Jul 22nd 2008, 18:56
The strange part of this story is the mentioned explosion in the engine room. To have an explosion you need a fuel to burn, oxygen and a source of ignition. Now, if the only fuel present was diesel, this is technically impossible at ambient conditions since diesel doesn't evaporate (like petrol), and can't explode. It is also very difficult to even make a fire with diesel at ambient temperature due it's high viscosity and oil content. It obviously explodes in the engine block (hehe), but injection has to occur in a very specific manner and the air compression needed (c. 2000 bars) is simply too high to be present in the engine room.
John Azzopaardi
Jul 22nd 2008, 18:30
@Christian Caruana
So you are suggesting that people on a boat should put on life vests when emergecy strikes? What a ludicrous concept! People on a boat should wear life vests all the time! Be prepared! What if someone falls overboard. In my view, this was a case of gross negligence.
C.Spiteri
Jul 22nd 2008, 18:08
I can only think and say one thing.... what could have an innocent 11 year old child possibly do to deserve a terrifying death like this? I have 2 nephews the same age of Theo and I cannot even sleep as when I close my eyes the only thing I see is that poor child on his own between sky and sea, withour no-one to give him warmth and keep him close to him. I cannot stop thinking what his last thoughts were, how many time he called his mummy to go and rescue him from that dark dark moment. One of my nephews passed from the Common Entrance Exam and yesterday they went to choose the school they all said an 'Ave Maria' for Theo's sake because he had passed the Common Entrance Exam and yesterday was suppose to go and choose the school. May god help all those searching for him, to find his as soon as possible so at least his family will know where they beloved creature is. May God keep his hands on Simon as it's not easy to see your own blood (father & son) die. May all of you rest in piece.
Angie Farrugia
Jul 22nd 2008, 17:38
May I offer my deepest sympathy to the relatives of those who perished & speedy recovery to Simon. My family & I have been through a similar experience when my father on board the aircraft DH-ABU, went missing. I can understand the anguish that the victims' relatives are feeling during the search and rescue (SAR) operation so my heart goes to them. The waiting & the uncertainity of the outcome of the operation is unbearable. May I point out to the Authorities responsible for the SAR to understand, that for the relatives, all SAR attempts are futile unless they yield concrete results, even if the concrete results produce nothing more than the dead bodies of the victims, for the relatives to be able at least to have a funeral is a form of closure. So I hope that the SAR continues until they find the last victim of this tradegy to the contrary of what happened to my father's accident, where the SAR was abruptly halted just after 5 days. At least the authorities seem to have somewhat learnt from past tragedies. My gratitude goes to the fishermen community who show solidarity in these tragedies including that of my father.
dorianne bugeja
Jul 22nd 2008, 16:51
Let us all praise Mr Mark Bugeja the master of fishing boat Grecale who participated in the search of these unfortunate people who lost their life. His determination and kind heart led to at least one man to survive. He surely should be honoured by our President for his bravery
act.
well done Mark, May God be with you.
Christian Caruana
Jul 22nd 2008, 16:27
@ Daphe Caruana Galizia
Daphne I am sorry but you must get your facts right.
Every vessel is equipped with a VHF (radio), from a long distance or in bad weather it does not make contact with the ones at home. In the past messages by VHF were conveyed by relay (vessels closer to base would relay the messages) but nowadays vesels are equipped with satellite phones and fishermen use them when no radio contact is possible. That is why Simon called on satellite phone. On another note it is impossible to have a private conversation via VHF...
As for life-vests they are also present on every vessel, however, since there was a fire they were certainly made unaccessible or even destroyed , otherwise they would have put them on for sure. The raft waqs cobbled at sea and not on the boat from what floating material they managed to recover.
As for the life-raft, they are serviced as required by law every year at Manoel Island so it is not the fishemen or the owner who are to blame if the raft did not open.
J Pace
Jul 22nd 2008, 15:55
I seem to recall that it was reported by Mr Bugeja that an explosion had actually ripped the boat apart.... inconsistencies....?
john fenech
Jul 22nd 2008, 15:01
May I offer my deepest sympathy to the relatives of the departed and a speedy recovery to Simon. Although most of these men know what is required but like most of us they think that sometimes short cuts are the better way!
Life jackets; life rafts; Emergency Radio beacons; Costal flare pack; Fog horns; plus first aid kits and fire fighting equipment are a must.
These might never be required but when your job is permanently at sea you cannot afford to make assumptions. Remember your relatives and the loved ones who are waiting your arrival.
Life jackets like all safety harness are a nuisance at times but a life saver at all times. Life jackets come equipped with lifejacket lights and emergency locating flares. EPIRBs must be of the recommended type and automatically deployed, that is will automatically activate once free from the external mounted bracket.
The basic purpose of distress radio beacons is to send information to save the life of those in distress: therefore it will be in vain if our SAR section doesn’t have the equipment or sufficient knowhow to act within the first 24hours following a traumatic event to bring in the survivors.
Joanne Micallef
Jul 22nd 2008, 14:04
My heart aches for the Bugeja family, may the lord help them with their grief.
There are many questions that need to be answered, unfortunately like always with this country only after a tragedy do we address the related faults. I hope that there will be a serious enquiry in how the whole operation was handled in order to avoid anything similar ever happening in the future.
maria galea
Jul 22nd 2008, 13:08
Can you please stop judging these people, no one has an idea what they have been trough, only God knows what have been going on in their heads, you have to be in the situation to understand. Everyone saying they must have done this and that, common please lets dont be foolish! I feel terribly sorry for all of them, and feel angry cause maybe if they found them a day before they could have found young Theo alive aswell. A whole week waiting to be rescued in those conditions is no joke. Hope they're at piece now, and may God support their families and friends.
George Borg
Jul 22nd 2008, 12:12
contd..
Sailors usually have a grab bag (water proof plastic container) which includes a mobile phone, waterproof Hand Held VHF, flares, torch and a watertight strobe light and finally a knife.
When abandoning a craft, the "Grab Bag " should be ready to be taken with you in the sea/life raft.
George Borg
Jul 22nd 2008, 12:07
I simply cannot understand why the EPIRB was not activated. An EPIRB is an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and is registered to a specific boat. Once this is activated, the AFM automatically receive a distress signal from the boat with it's exact position. Every boat that goes offshore MUST carry one. These are becoming so important that there are now various companies that now produce "Personal EPIRBS" the size of a mobile.... I expect the MMA to take action and investigate the safety of these fishing boats.. Take the life raft as an example.. When a life raft is over a certain age, these have to be serviced every 2 years, provisions in the raft renewed, flares & water replaced and the gas cylinder recharged for auto inflation.
On another point, I find it very offensive that Mr Bugejja and Mr Piscopo blamed the AFM on various occasions during Bondi+ yesterday... I say hats off to the AFM for their SAR. Ludicrous to think that the AFM would spot people and NOT pick them up.!!
contd..
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jul 22nd 2008, 11:51
If you had read the reportage carefully since day one, you would know all the answers to these questions. There was no radio on the boat, which is why Mr Bugeja called his wife on the satellite phone to ask her for the weather forecast. There were no life-vests - otherwise, as Mr Sammut Dacoutrous points out here, they would have put them on in the time it took to cobble a raft together. And the sole life-raft available didn't inflate, presumably because it hadn't been checked or serviced in a long time.
N Palmer
Jul 22nd 2008, 11:51
Recent events including this tragic incident have certainly placed the spotlight on safety at sea and raised awareness amongst boaters and non-boaters alike just how quickly things can go horribly wrong. As the Captain of the vessel Simon Bugeja was probably trying to do everything he could to save the lives of his crew and get them off the burning boat and to safety, with minimal help as the majority of his crew were asleep.
There are lessons to be learnt from this tragedy and the recent sinking a month ago for all boaters to take note of and place greater importance on having life saving equipment handy. I wonder how many vessels have a proper ditch bag handy on deck ready to be thrown overboard, as a fellow boater I know I don't and plan to address this asap.
Given the costs of SAR missions and limited resources available, why doesn't the government offer an incentive for boaters to invest in emergency life saving equipment like PLBs, EPIRBs, ditch bags and life rafts with 0% VAT, or offer one-off special prices.
Mark Bugeja and crew have my utmost respect and admiration; I will happily contribute to their fuel costs
Ivan Tabone
Jul 22nd 2008, 11:45
Whilst praising all the efforts of the fishermen and other rescuers, and whilst sympathising with all those who suffered losses, I still think that there is more to the story. Yesterday's Bondiplus showed a few uneasy moments and it seems that there are people who know more but cannot tell all. I cannot figure out why the "explosion" occured. Diesel engines do not explode and I have never heard of a coolant gas creating such havoc. I think that the authorities have to delve more into what caused the fire/explosion and what exactly was being carried on the Simshar.
M. Schembri
Jul 22nd 2008, 11:44
Under the circumstances a serious inquiry is the proper thing to do. As Mr Sammut dacoutros remarked there are quite a few nebulous areas in this whole unfortunate tragedy.
Therese Vella
Jul 22nd 2008, 11:38
I'm afraid I have to retract my comment in yesterday's blog (Young widow speaks of husband's premonition) when i said that the funeral should be paid by AFM. After the interview on TVM with Stefania Carabott, Noel's widow, there emerged some insinuations that should not go without being investigated. One was - why did the brand-new boat explode, was it really because of the freezer? My question is :Is there any other way in which fishermen catch fish: do they use fireworks (which are illegal)? If this was a fireworks explosion, then it would be the second fireworks tragedy this year. It's hard to tell, because no remnants of the boat were found. I hope the truth comes out - a very high price has been paid to catch fish.
Ian Sammut Dacoutros
Jul 22nd 2008, 11:19
While my heart aches at the thought of what these poor sould must have gone through I would like to ask a couple of questions. Last night I saw a television programme on TVM discussing this story, and accusations went flying round especially towards the AFM, I would like to ask where the life jackets on the boat were? Were there any? Where was the life raft? Was there one? If Mr. Bugeja had the minutes required to build the raft could he not have gotten the life raft / jackets? Or sent someone to get them while he was building the raft? As far as I know, at least these 2 basic survival tools are required to be on a boat, where were they? If there was time to build the raft couldn't a distress signal be sent? 112 with a mobile or Satphone (i am sure there is something), or radio?
Just curious.
I offer thoughts and prayers up to the Lord for the souls of the lost and pray that young Theo will soon be found too.
Ramon Casha
Jul 22nd 2008, 10:42
Despite the sadness of this occasion, now is the time to start asking some questions like... why is it that this vessel's life-raft did not work and neither did their satellite phone? If it took almost 6 hours for the vessel to sink, why didn't they use the VHF? Just a few seconds to send a distress signal might have made all the difference yet the article doesn't even mention it. Did the vessel even have one?
And the million dollar question... What about all the other Maltese fishing vessels? Would their liferafts have worked? Would they have been able to send out a distress signal?
R.Gauchi
Jul 22nd 2008, 10:15
Thank you Simon. I sincerely hope that you will be well rewarded(and recompensed),although your greatest reward will always be the knowledge that when you were needed you were not found wanting.