Fisherman search goes on

SHIPPING off the Welsh coast has been asked to keep a look out for missing Dalbeattie fisherman Steven Robertson.

The 25-year-old crewman of the scallop dredger ‘St Avant’ went missing early last Friday as the 54-foot boat sailed from Holyhead.

The Ballantrae registered vessel, which sails out of the Galloway port of Kirkcudbright, reported Steven missing at 2.29 am and it sparked a huge search in the area co-ordinated by Holyhead coastguards.

But the search was called off on Friday afternoon and a spokesman at Holyhead said: “We have now alerted vessels in the area to keep a look out for the missing fisherman who was last seen on board the St Avant about 1.2 miles of South Stack.”

The fishing boat was less than two miles from shore but it was nearly two hours before Steven was found to be missing.

Although it was a calm sea the temperature was only eight degrees and he was wearing only a T-shirt and jeans and did not have a life-jacket on.

Steven lived in Craignair Street, Dalbeattie, and many of his family also live there including his grandparents. His father Craig, who works in Southern Ireland, was told of the incident and travelled back.

The fishing vessel had departed Holyhead at 11.25 pm and the crew were having supper after re-fuelling and unloading their catch.

One Kirkcudbright fisherman said: “Everyone is shocked. It wasn’t Steven’s regular boat. The crew thought he had gone to bed but when they went to get him to start work they couldn’t find him.”

A friend of the family said: “It’s a terrible tragedy. Everyone is just waiting for news. Steven was well-known in the area and keen on his job.”

The search covered 50 square miles in Caernarfon Bay where the boat was going to be fishing and included

RNLI lifeboats from Holyhead, Porthdinllaen, and Trearddur and a rescue helicopter was also scrambled.

Jim Green, watch manager at Holyhead Coastguard said: “Every effort has been made to try and locate this missing crewman. He was not wearing a lifejacket and we strongly recommend that all fishermen should wear lifejackets whilst operating on fishing vessels.”





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