Trawler changed course before collision, inquest told

The ill-fated trawler, Tit Bonhomme, changed from its correct course for its home port of Union Hall just six minutes before it collided with Adam Island at the mouth of Glandore Harbour and sank with the loss of five lives, an inquest has heard.

Skipper, Michael Hayes (52) from Helvick Head in Co Waterford and four of his five crew, Kevin Kershaw (21) from Clonakilty in Co Cork and Egyptians, Wael Mohamed (35), Attiy Shaban (26) and Saied Alieldin (22) all perished in the tragedy on January 15th, 2012.

This week an inquest into the deaths of the five men heard evidence from marine surveyor, Eoghan O’Toole from the Dept of Transport that the Tit Bonhomme was on its correct setting for Union Hall up until it was about half a nautical mile from Glandore Harbour.

However the vessel changed course for some reason at 5.29am and some six minutes later, it collided with Adam Island and was turned around in heavy seas before being turned back into to the rocks and dragged along the southern side of the island.

The 21-metre steel trawler suffered no significant piercing breach to its hull but downward flooding within 10 to 20 seconds of impact resulted in 20-30 tonnes of water coming over the boat and down the hatchways into the lower decks causing it to sink.

Mr O’Toole said that boat was on autohelm approaching Glandore Harbour and appeared to continue on autohelm after changing course as it travelled a smooth line but he could find no evidence of any mechanical or electrical failure of the autohelm which would have caused it to change course.

He said he was virtually certain that the change in course was caused by something that happened in the wheelhouse and either involved somebody either turning off the autohelm or else either turning a dial setting on the autohelm or moving a joystick control.

He said that while it was possible that the wind might have caused the change in direction, he didn’t believe it was likely and what he believed was more likely even though he had no way of proving it was that somebody adjusted course while on autohelm rather than completely turn off the autohelm.

He said the change that the Tit Bonhomme made was a correct one to come in to berth at Union Hall but it was “made too soon and was too extreme” and resulted in the vessel colliding with Adam Island.He said it was like somebody driving their car into their neighbour’s driveway rather than their own.

“The vessel was bounced 55 metres along Adam island - its bow gets snagged in the rocks and the stern pivots and the ship is dumped over a reef of rocks into its final resting place, “he told the inquest into the deaths of the five men in Cork this Wednesday.

Mr O'Toole said that he could find no basis for a finding by a Marine Casualty Investigation Board finding that it was steering a course of 112 degrees when it collided with Adam Island even though that bearing corresponded with where the vessel finally came to rest on the rocks.