Cemfjord sinking: Crew lost in catastrophic capsize, inquiry rules

The Cemfjord capsized in 2015

The crew of a cargo ship died after their vessel suffered a "sudden catastrophic capsize" in violent conditions, a sheriff has said.

The bodies of the eight men were never recovered after the MV Cemfjord sank in the Pentland Firth, a stretch of sea between Orkney and the Caithness coast.

A fatal accident inquiry held into the January 2015 tragedy has concluded.

Sheriff Gary Aitken said the reason for continuing her voyage in bad weather were lost with Cemfjord and her crew.

The FAI, in Wick, heard the boat capsized in January 2015 during powerful tidal conditions dubbed the Merry Men of Mey.

• Crew lost during 'extraordinarily violent' seas

• More from NE Scotland, Orkney and Shetland - BBC News

• More from Highlands and Islands - BBC News

The sea conditions - with strong winds and 10m-high waves - were described as "extraordinarily violent".

A ferry headed for Aberdeen had come across the Cemfjord before it fully sank below the waves.

Seven Polish nationals and one man from the Philippines died in the sinking.

They were:

• Master Pawel Chruscinski, 43

• Chief officer Jaroslaw Orlow, 54

• Chief engineer Roman Tamas, 56

• Third engineer Jerome Narvas, 32

• Ordinary seaman Henryk Dubanowski, 55

• Ordinary seaman Tomasz Kwiatkowski, 31

• Able seaman Artur Podrazka, 24

• Ordinary seaman and cook Artur Wegorek, 24

In his determination, Sheriff Aitken wrote: "It is clear from the evidence that the sea and weather conditions in the Pentland Firth around 13:00 hours on 2 January 2015 posed a severe hazard to any vessel seeking to transit the area, particularly from east to west, as the Cemfjord sought to do.

"The elements caused the sudden catastrophic capsize of the vessel, the suddenness of that event tragically resulting in inevitably fatal consequences for her officers and crew.

"It is not possible to state why the vessel was attempting to transit the Firth at that time. It is equally clear from the evidence that the dangers of the Pentland Firth are well recognised and well known within the maritime community."

He described Pawel Chruscinski as a "very experienced" master, used both to the Cemfjord and the Pentland Firth, and said he had shown a willingness to alter the voyage of the vessel to take account of tidal conditions before.

"Sadly, the reason or reasons for continuing her voyage were lost with the ship and her crew," Sheriff Aitken said.

The FAI heard the loss of the men had been "keenly felt" by fellow employees of the ship's owners, Brise.

The sheriff expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the crew.

"Their loss is no doubt still keenly felt," he said.

"The tragic deaths of the Cemfjord's officers and crew are a reminder that even in the 21st century, with all of humanity's technological achievements, there are still considerable risks faced by those who labour on the sea."