London - Relatives of 36 British fishermen who died at sea 24 years ago in what some believe was a secret spying mission were pinning their hopes of finding out what happened to their relatives on a submarine investigation sent to the wreck of their trawler yesterday, Rachel Donnelly writes.
Three unmanned midget submarines have located the spot where the Gaul went down in 1974 in water 300 metres deep, 70 miles north of Norway's North Cape. Mr Aubrey Bowles, whose brother Ronald (22) was a member of the trawler's crew said: "Eventually, when we make penetration of the vessel, we hope to find the remains of the crew - our relatives. It will still the rumours. For most of the relatives that is a vital thing that we have come out here for."
An inquiry shortly after the trawler sank blamed the loss on bad weather and a second inquiry a year later suggested a hatch door might have been left open. Despite the findings, rumours persisted that the crew was involved in a Cold War spying mission.