Fishing Vessel Skipper Fined for Collision

The skipper of a fishing vessel that collided with a ferry was fined after pleading guilty for failing to keep a proper lookout.

The skipper, Lindsay Haugh, of the fishing vessel Onward N336, was fined a total of £2,500 plus costs of £231 at a hearing today in the County Court Division of South Down, the U.K Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported.

At approximately midnight on September 12, 2014, the fishing vessel was heading back from fishing grounds in thick fog to its home port of Killkeel when it collided with the Clipper Pennant, a Seatruck Ferries vessel at anchor off Carlingford Lough, Northern Ireland, MCA said.

Haugh pleaded guilty to unlawful conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals off Carlingford Lough, contrary to section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, in that he omitted to monitor the recognised VHF channels, omitted to view radar in reduced visibility and omitted to keep a proper look out and as such omissions were deliberate or amounted to a breach, or neglect of duty.