Tug Boat Widows Fight for Compensation

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 
 

The widows of two men killed when their tug boat capsized in the River Clyde are seeking compensation from the port managers and the tug's operators. 
 
Eileen Blackley and Linda Cameron lost their husband when The Flying Phantom tug capsized in thick fog on 19th December 2007, while towing the carrier Red Jasmine. The women said that they are "bitterly angry" that even now, after this fatal accident, safety recommendations have still not been implemented.  
 
An inquiry into the accident blamed a winch that was said to have failed to release fast enough and the port managers, Clydeport, have "completely refuted" many of the widows' claims. However, Frank Maguire from Thomsons Solicitors has said that:  
 
"We have advised the families to launch their civil claims now to get action and stop Clydeport blatantly refusing to implement the MAIB recommendations."  
 
The MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) report into the accident criticised the owners of the tug, Danish firm Svitzer, for not ensuring that the crew had undergone special training in navigating in poor visibility and also criticised Clydeport for not fitting a fog detection system after a similar accident had happened with the very same tug in 2000.  
 
The Flying Phantom sank in the Clyde just opposite Cydebank College in West Dunbartonshire, claiming the lives of three crew - the skipper Stephen Humphreys aged 33, Robert Cameron aged 65 from Houston and Eric Blackley aged 57 from Gourock. The men's bodies were recovered in the days following the accident. One crewman, 37 year old Brian Aitchison, survived the accident.  
 
Linda Cameron, one of the widows, commented that:  
 
"It seems unbelievable that it is now 18 months since the accident and we are still no further forward," and "We are taking legal action now, not for the money but to draw attention to the fact that nothing has happened to prevent the same terrible type of accident happening again. We are all finding it desperately hard to come to terms with our loss, and knowing that it could happen again to someone else makes it 10-times worse."  
 
The other widow, Eileen Blackley, said: "We are absolutely dismayed that the lives of our husband's friends and workmates are still being put at risk because Clydeport won't spend £30,000 on a fog detection system, even though they are a multi-million pound company."  
 
The Scottish regional secretary of the union, Unite, John Quigly, blamed the UK government for failing to compel the port managers to act after the accident, saying:  
 
"The government is playing Russian roulette with the lives of the seamen and women who work on the Clyde. It's totally unacceptable for them to let Clydeport blatantly ignore the findings of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, when those recommendations are intended to prevent a similar tragedy."  
 
The Department of Transport, Health and Safety Executive and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency all confirmed that they were powerless in this instance and could not force the harbour authorities to do anything about improving safety in this way. Mr Quigly called this a "total farce".  
 
The women's solicitor, Mr Maguire confirmed that "We will pursue this matter along with Unite and campaign to make Clydeport totally accountable as is every other similar organisation in the country."  
 
Clydeport are still refuting the claims and say that they will "vigorously" defend their position in court.