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Details of the Sinking
Date and Location: The OCEAN GAIN sank on Tuesday, March 1, 1988, approximately five miles south of Stack, Holyhead.
Cause: The trawler began taking on water and was in danger of sinking.
Rescue Operation: The Holyhead coastguard was informed of the distress at 12:18 PM. The ferry St. COLUMBA and another fishing vessel, the LUANA, were already nearby and standing by. A Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat from Holyhead and a tug, the AVON, were dispatched.
Evacuation: A helicopter took off three crew members, leaving one person onboard who was attempting to reach the harbour.
Sinking: The lifeboat arrived at the same time as the tug. A pump was passed from the tug to the Ocean Gain, but it could not cope with the leak. The last man onboard agreed to abandon the ship after the lifeboat provided him with a lifejacket. The tug released its tow line, and the vessel sank a few minutes later.
Outcome: All crew members were safely rescued.
The wreck of the OCEAN GAIN, a 20-meter trawler, had not been located as of 2013, though divers have searched for it. The sinking was one of several marine incidents reported to the UK Parliament between October 1987 and September 1988.

Click to enlarge images

mfv Ocean Gain SY82
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

mfv Ocean Gain SY82
Picture courtesy of The Ted Hammill Collection

mfv Ocean Gain SY82
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
03/12/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
01/04/2019: Added an image.