`Ghostly' ship drifts 140 miles to coast

A Spanish fishing vessel believed to have sunk a week ago has floated 140 miles in to the south-west Irish coast and has landed on rocks close to where its sister ship was wrecked more than a decade ago.

Navigational warnings have been issued since Friday, giving the location of the ship, the British-registered Spanish Zorro Zaurre, now submerged on rocks near Roancarrig lighthouse in Bantry Bay. The ship was last heard of when it got into difficulties with 13 crew on board 140 miles south of Mizen Head on November 30th.

All the crew were airlifted by the RAF to Cornwall after the vessel sprang a leak. The crew described the ship as being swamped with water and said they believed it was within an hour of sinking.

On Friday the naval ship LE Orla was asked to follow up a report that a slight diesel slick and fish boxes had been seen in Bantry Bay just east of Castletownbere.

A Naval Service diving team identified the sunken wreck, which landed 400 metres from its sister vessel, the Nuestra Senora de Gardotza.

Mr Gene O'Sullivan, of Valentia Coast Guard, said the Zorro Zaurre had come in "like a submarine," semi-submerged, and it was a miracle it had not collided with anything. "Like a ghost ship," Mr O'Sullivan said.

The vessel is not believed to pose any major pollution threat, but will be inspected further and buoyed.