Antares

The wooden motor trawler Antares was launched from the Sandhaven yard (Yard No 398) of J and G Forbes and Co Ltd., Sandhaven in 1965. She measured 16.07m x 5.64m x 2.29m and her tonnage was 44 gross tons. She w as powered by a Caterpillar 3306 diesel engine delivering 250 brake horse power. Built for the Berwick and Fishermens’ Mutual Society of Eyemouth she was first registered in Leith LH434. Subsequent ownership changes saw her operate out of Tweedmouth and Fleetwood before she was acquired by her final owner Jamie T Russell of Campbeltown and registered CN123 operating out of Carradale.

Antares left Carradale in 19th November 1990 on a fishing expedition in the Firth of Clyde. For a number of days she fished around Arran returning each evening to Largs Marina to offload her catch from that day. On 21st November skipper Jamie Russell, with his crew of three, decided to try his luck fishing the deep water channel east of Arran known as the Arran Trench intending to fish overnight. Two other MFVs, Heroine and Hercules, were fishing in the same area that night.

Meanwhile the Trafalgar Class hunter killer submarine HMS Trenchant was taking part in the Submarine Command Course codenamed The Perisher in the Firth of Clyde. A student was in control of the submarine on his final test which involved the submarine carrying out a simulated mine laying exercise while being pursued by frigate HMS Charybdis from the surface. At 02.17 Trenchant suddenly detected a vessel on the surface and turned to avoid contact. Almost immediately the crew heard loud banging noises outside the hull. She immediately surfaced and could see the two other fishing vessels nearby. However, the remains of a trawl net were found around the hull with trawl wires and chains embedded in the submarine’s sonar dome.

Initially there was no alarm. The men aboard Trenchant, seeing the two fishing vessels afloat and apparently unharmed, concluded that the contact with the trawl had not caused any damage of concern for the fishing vessels which were continuing to fish. Trenchant then returned to her training exercise believing all to be well. However, the following morning, the Secretary of the Clyde Fisherman’s Association, hearing the details of the incident, grew concerned and began telephoning around the various fishing port on the area and it soon emerged that Antares was unaccounted for. Vessels began to search the area off the east coast of Arran. The only signs of Antares were a few floating fishing boxes and a patch of fuel on the surface. She had sunk rapidly, capsizing after the nets were snagged on the submarine.

The later enquiry concluded that the loss of Antares was entirely due to errors aboard Trenchant which should not have been within 2000 metres of any vessels on the surface. They appeared unaware that fishing vessels were able to fish in waters deeper than 60 metres – the water in the Trench is more than 100 metres deep. They had also failed to notice that there were in fact three fishing vessels in the areas as Antares and Heroine was very close to each other at the time of the incident. The lack of direct contact with the fishing vessels which remained on the surface when the submarine surfaced (they had tried to make radio contact but failed) was particularly criticised although by that time the Antares had already disappeared and the crew were lost.  As a result of the incident and the controversy which followed new Code of Practice for the Conduct of Submarine Operations in the Vicinity of Fishing Vessels was issued and is still the standard code of practice today.  As a result of this process the area east of Arran around the Arran Trench is now a designated submarine practice area which requires both submarines and fishing vessels to take particular precautions when operating in the area.

One month later the wreck of Antares was raised and eventually taken to the Scottish Maritime museum where she was on display for many tears before she finally deteriorated and was taken to Troon where she broken up in 2008.

Note position shown on chart is purely indicative of location of incident.