asked the Minister for Transport if he intends to hold an inquiry into the loss of the Union Star which was an Irish registered ship, on which no Irishman was employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Loss of Ship.
441.
As the Deputy is aware, the lifeboat from Penlee, Cornwall, the Solomon Browne, which was attempting to rescue the persons on board the Union Star, was also lost on the same occasion. The British authorities indicated at an early stage that they would hold a formal investigation into the loss of the lifeboat. In view of the close connection between the loss of the two vessels, and in the interests of comprehensiveness and the avoidance of the duplication of two formal investigations, it was suggested to my predecessor by his counterpart in the British Department of Trade that the two casualties should be covered by the one formal investigation. My predecessor indicated that he would have no objection to the British formal investigation into the loss of the Solomon Browne being expanded in scope to cover the loss of the Union Star and that he would be prepared to assist fully in the proceedings.
The formal investigation, to which my Department was a party, concluded in Penzance on Wednesday, 27 April 1983. The official report of the inquiry was issued on 18 May 1983. The report found that the loss of the Union Star was caused by:—(i) the irreparable failure of the ship's engines due to contamination of fuel by sea water while off a dangerous lee shore; (ii) the extreme severity of the weather, wind and sea; and (iii) the capsize of the vessel on or shortly after stranding. The report also found that the Union Star was properly equipped and properly manned.