C1/2004 M Trawler BRATTVÅG, Sinking off Pori on 17.1.2004

The Finnish trawler BRATTVÅG (FIN-165-T) departed January 15, 2004 from the Finnish fishing port Reposaari to fish herring in the fishing area 20 miles off the coast in the Gulf of Bothnia. As they were approaching homeport on January 17, the vessel started to get water in. The water could not be pumped out and she sunk at 07.52 hours 1,8 miles of the breakwater. The two fishermen onboard found themselves in the water with lifebelts on. They succeeded to hang with the life raft and net buoys until the local coast guard rescued them. They were transported to hospital and found to be in hypothermia but otherwise in good condition.

The vessel sunk close to the fairway and a navigational warning was given out to the mariners. A private entrepreneur bought the wreck at the sea bottom and he got it lifted up in September 2004. He later in spring 2005 towed her to Kotka where she was scrapped during the autumn 2005.

The investigators concluded that a bilge pump failure lead to the water ingress to the boat. This was because the discharge pipe was not fitted with a safety valve.

C1/2004M Report (pdf, 1.58 Mt)