Solway families look to Manx coroner

The seven crew of the Solway Harvester perished

The families of the victims of the Solway Harvester tragedy have revealed they are pinning their hopes on a coroner's inquest to find out what caused last January's sinking.

The 21-metre scallop dredger went down in heavy seas in the Irish Sea, off the coast of the Isle of Man, on 11 January last year 2000. All seven crew-members died.

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigation into the tragedy is already underway.

But John Scoular, a spokesman for the affected communities of Whithorn, Isle of Whithorn and Garlieston, in south west Scotland, said there was more interest in the findings of the Isle of Man coroner.

John Scoular: The families are looking to the coroner

Mr Scoular said: "The report that most people are waiting for is not the MAIB's but the Manx coroner's report and that's not ready yet, as far as I know."

An Isle of Man Police spokesman said a full report would be passed to the coroner once the investigation was complete.

But he added that he did not anticipate an inquest being held for some months.

"We are still preparing the modelling tests on the vessel and making inquiries among other people at the moment," he said.

"On that basis, the earliest we expect the coroner's inquest to take place is Easter."

The MAIB investigation into the tragedy expected to conclude on Thursday - the first anniversary of the sinking.

Open hatch

The findings are due to be published later this year.

It has been suggested the MAIB report would show the boat went down because of an open hatch which allowed water inside, however a spokesman declined to comment.

Those on board the boat when she sank were skipper Andrew Craig Mills, 29, of Isle of Whithorn, his brother Robin Mills, 33, of Castlehill, Whithorn, and his cousin David Mills, 18, of Isle of Whithorn.

Also on board were Martin Milligan, 26, of Garlieston, David Lyons, 17, of Whithorn, John Murphy, 22, of Whithorn, and Wesley Jolly, 17, of Whithorn.