Yorkshire coast fishing boat losses

Bridlington is the lobster capital of Europe and has been home to a harbour of fishing vessels for as long as the town has existed, being this close to the North Sea it would be impossible for fish not to be involved in the town’s infrastructure. But with any industry, there are always accidents and fatalities, this town having had more than its fair share over the years. Here are several fishing vessel wrecks that have been from the town or involved Bridlington in some way, but bear in mind that with so many wrecks it would be impossible to document them all in such a short blog, for the victims of the North Sea run into the thousands. The Magdalene Ann for example (above) went down on 12th August 2013 following a collision. 

The coast is already littered with wrecks from years ago, the cliffs alone at Bempton, Flamborough and Speeton are the scene of many a tragedy. There are two memorials in Flamborough village, the first was a double tragedy in 1909 when the Two Brothers sank while trying to rescue the crew of the Gleaner, a total of seven people killed. History repeated itself on 7^th May 1984 with the Carol Sandra and the North Wind, again both vessels lost, seven crew killed. The memorials are testament to the bravery of the crews of these boats when a fellow fisherman is in trouble.

On the evening of 21^st May 1987 the stern trawler Anmara with a crew of three was reported as overdue from its home port of Scarborough. Bridlington lifeboat was launched to conduct a search along with Scarborough and Filey boat as well as the RAF and fishery protection vessel HMS Lindisfarne, but the boat was long gone. The following day a body and wreckage was found in Cayton Bay. There were no survivors, the victims now being mourned in the towns up the coast, a grave of one of them in Bridlington cemetery sporting an image of the lost trawler. 

On 25^th March 1993 the Heritage set sail with her two crew members,  skipper Tony Maplebeck and his 21 year old crewman Shaun Rowley, and fished with another boat named Katie Jane 12 miles off the coast of Scarborough. The Heritage had snagged her nets on the seabed and the crew decided to wait for the tides to turn before freeing them. But the Katie Jane returned soon after and the Heritage was gone. A search of the area by ships and helicopters found nothing but wreckage. The Heritage was later raised and towed into harbour.

The trawler Diana was involved in a collision off the coast on 6^th June 2003 with the cargo ship Santa Vitoria. The boat was damaged and taken in tow but later sank, the skipper John Collinson having a lucky escape.

But four years later Collinson was involved in a second mid-sea crash when his vessel Flourish was in collision with the cargo ship Nautica and the crew abandoned ship. Collinson was killed in the collision which caused Flourish to sink, the other crew members were taken on board Nautica where they were transferred to a lifeboat and taken back to Bridlington.

There was drama on Bridlington south beach on 9^th April 2013 when the Serene grounded. The crew were rescued but as the tide came in the vessel was completely submerged. I stood on the south beach myself as the vessel was slowly consumed by the incoming tide, wondering what was going through the mind of the people who owned her, sailed her and now had to salvage her. Would she be another one of the coast's many victims, or was there hope for her to once again be put to sea. Only time would tell. 

The East Yorkshire coast will continue to be the scene of shipwrecks, but thanks to modern technology there will be quicker rescues, less risk to life and the ability to navigate away from danger. For those who have made the ultimate sacrifice over the years, they are remembered by those who go out to sea today. The memorials are testament to that.