Cabin Fever ship sank after late night, says probe
A sailing ship which ran aground while being used for an Irish reality television show sank because crew and contestants were tired after a late night out, it emerged today.
The 60ft Cabin Fever vessel, on a survival voyage around Ireland, was smashed to bits in seas off Donegal after it struck rocks on the coast of Tory Island.
A report by the Marine Casualty Investigations Board found the two crew members, hired to guide the vessel around notoriously dangerous Irish waters, failed to keep a proper look out.
Officials at the MCIB criticised the crew for not ensuring at least one experienced member was on deck at all times.
And the report noted a “special feast” had been laid on for the crew and contestants on Tory Island the night before the crash.
But the report stated all nine were back on board by 12.30am and kept watch through the night before setting off on the fateful voyage around the island.
Lee Gooch, a contestant who swam to shore from the sinking ship before being airlifted from the rocks, admitted a party was laid on.
“We did have a fabulous feed,” he said. “But we did only have three bottles of wine among nine contestants and it was only about two glasses of wine and we had a big meal.
“But we had not had a drink prior to that for a couple weeks so it probably would go to your head.”
The schooner was completely destroyed after it ran aground on the southern end of Tory Island off the Donegal coast on June 13, 2003.
All nine contestants, battling for prize money of €100,000 and two crew survived the accident. Some swam to shore and a number were winched to safety by helicopter.
With two experienced sailors on board, the MCIB stated the crew were down one man and forced to pick up the extra workload also causing tiredness.
The MCIB found that filming the reality show on board the ship had interfered with the proper running of a ship at sea.
And officials said the crew did not make a clear requirement for at least one of the two experienced sailors to be on deck at all times while at sea.
The MCIB said sailing conditions were perfect as the boat sailed round Tory but due care was not given when calculating tidal effects in the area.
The MCIB noted the boat’s global positioning system, which could have detailed the exact course the vessel took, was taken ashore by the owner and skipper Rodger Barton.
And the report stated the GPS was lost before MCIB investigators could examine it.
The report said the vessel had breached a number of operating licences and that the contestants were not entirely sure who was in charge.
One of the contestants, Andrew Fowler, who helped contestants flee the sinking ship was praised by his co-contestants for his bravery and unshakeable leadership, the report said.
