Did a British sub send five fishermen to their deaths?
THE families of five trawlermen dragged to their deaths off Cornwall 12 years ago have won a major victory in their attempt to establish the truth about the tragedy.
The sinking of the French trawler Bugaled Breizh has never been explained, despite claims by relatives that the boat was accidentally sunk by a Royal Navy submarine. Now the families have applauded the decision of a coroner to hold a five-day inquest – and accused Britain and France of conducting a complex cover-up.
A nine-year French inquiry was inconclusive and Thierry Lemetayer, son of the trawler’s engineer Georges Lemetayer, said: ‘I hope Britain will do the job which was not done in France – and we will finally have answers.’
A decision to close the French inquiry in 2013 came despite an early conclusion that it was ‘highly probable’ the boat was dragged down by a submarine that snagged its cables.
The families claim the French and British navies staged a cover-up, failing to admit to the close proximity of submarines during a Nato exercise. They believe the boat was sunk by a sub from Britain, France or the United States. They hope Cornish coroner Emma Carlyon will expand the inquiry into an Article 2 inquest, which deals with deaths that may be caused by state activity. Only three bodies have been found.
The families’ QC, Julian Malins, said: ‘This trawler went from sailing normally in calm waters to being underwater with everybody dead within 37 seconds. It happened during a Nato submarine exercise yet the Navy has shown an apparent lack of curiosity to find out what happened.’ The lawyers said evidence pointed to the Devonport-based nuclear sub HMS Turbulent as the culprit.
The Navy maintains the vessel was in port in Plymouth when the tragedy occurred.