No lifejackets on boat that sank, says father

THE family of a fisherman lost at sea after his boat foundered four years ago this week have been told by a former skipper of the vessel that allegedly ‘no lifejackets were aboard’.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to be held in early June will hear the circumstances surrounding Scott MacAlister’s death after he was lost at sea when the Speedwell sank on April 25, 2013.

Peter MacAlister and sons Andrew and Glen have consistently battled against a ‘meaningless’ investigation into Scott’s death, but neither the court nor the maritime agencies will raise the boat from the seabed between Inish and Seil.

Peter MacAlister said: ‘A former skipper has said that when he worked the boat there were no lifejackets aboard.

‘This is in direct conflict with part of the evidence due to be heard at the FAI in that defective lifejackets aboard the Speedwell were rectified.’

A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Board claims that the ‘Speedwell carried two constant wear lifejackets’.

Mr MacAlister continued: ‘If the boat is lifted from the seabed, we can find out if lifejackets were aboard or not.

‘A diver who has visited the boat said that he saw no sign of lifejackets and the flotsam contained no lifejackets.

‘Scott was not found – from that it can be assumed he was not wearing a lifejacket. There were a number of search vessels in the area within minutes of him going down. This matter has now gone way way beyond belief – four years later and we are no further on.

‘The boat needs to be lifted to find out the facts, otherwise we will never know the truth.’