Gigha tribute to Russian sailors who died in wreck
WHEN a giant wave smashed factory fishing ship Kartli onto a reef near the Isle of Gigha, killing four crew members in 1991, it was the last ship registered in the Soviet Union to be wrecked.
Those events, from a quarter of a century ago, were remembered in a series of moving ceremonies on Gigha last weekend attended by Russian Consul General Andrey Pritsepov and the Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute, Patrick Stewart.
Exactly 25 years to the day, on December 18, 1991, the Kartli, a 1,900-ton, 240ft ship lost power in a huge storm and smashed into the reef in Tarbert bay.
At the time John Martin, 75, was team leader of Gigha Coastguard rescue. He said: ‘It was a terrible night, with a westerly gale blowing.’
The memorial efforts have been led by Igor Ratikin, who was a friend of the crew and captain, having worked at the shipping office that dealt with the Kartli.
During events to mark the anniversary, Mr Ratikin handed out specially struck medallions. The first was given to David MacLellan, 46, who is now the Islay lifeboat coxswain, but then was 21 and serving his first year. Mr MacLellan said: ‘We got the call at about midnight. I was in bed. It was horrendous when we put out from Port Askaig.’
Mr Ratikin wrote a book about the sinking in Russian, published in 2009, and with the 25th anniversary approaching, contacted the Gigha Heritage Trust to see if a memorial could be arranged.
A stone cairn was constructed, by Andy Clements, round a standing stone on a prominent hillock at the north end of Gigha overlooking Tarbert Bay, on the north-west coast of the island, where the remains of the ship are 30ft down.
Mr Clements said: ‘The cairn is built with stone from Gigha quarry and a sighting compass from the Kartli is installed on the top. It is possible to sight through the compass and see the waves breaking over the reef where the ship foundered.’
On Sunday, James McLellan conducted a service at the parish church of Gigha and Carra, in which he incorporated the events surrounding the sinking.
Opening the service, he said: ‘At Orthodox churches throughout the land there will be the giving of a blessing, particularly in Aberdeen today, (about) those seamen from the Kartli who lost their lives 25 years ago.’
BBC Alba video journalist Andreas Wolff and a three-person film crew from Russia recorded the memorial services both in the church and later when the cairn was unveiled. Later, at the memorial, the Lord Lieutenant said that those gathered were there to commemorate and admire the selflessness of those who, regardless of their own safety, helped on that night.
Mr Pritsepov said: ‘It is a great privilege and an honour to stand here on this island dedicating a piece of Russia on Scottish soil.
‘I would like to thank the community of Gigha for your compassion and memory and, of course, all the members of the Coastguard and lifeboat men.’
Alasdair McNeill, an elder of the church on Gigha organised a collection in 1991 for the ship’s captain, Vladimir Gayduk, who lost a leg but survived.
After the cairn’s unveiling Mr McNeill said: ‘In days to come, when people pause at this memorial, may they do so with respect and reverence.’
Later at a reception in the Gigha hotel Mr Martin presented Mr Pritsepov with one of the few surviving bottles of Gigha whisky bottled when the island passed to the trust.
Gigha children led by primary head Julie Wilson, performed a Robert Louis Stevenson poem about Christmas at sea. Later Mrs Wilson said the Russian consul general had told her he wanted to try to find a similar Russian island and initiate a school twinning exercise. Mrs Wilson said children from Gigha were keen to invite Russian children to Scotland.