New evidence has emerged in the death of an Argyll prawn fisherman whose body has never been found, a court heard yesterday.
A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Scott McAlister five years ago in the Firth of Lorne was opened and adjourned yesterday morning at Oban Sheriff Court.
The inquiry into the death of the father-of-three, who was 40, was halted for a third time due to ‘new evidence’ in the hands of the newly appointed Advocate for the family, Lewis Kennedy.
The MV Speedwell floundered near to Insh Island, 12 miles south of Oban, shortly after 1pm on April 25, 2013.
Mr MacAlister, from a Seil fishing family, was singlehandedly crewing the boat and had made May Day calls to his family and the Coastguard.
When rescue boats arrived at the scene debris could still be seen.
The family argued at previous hearing that evidence from the boat was required as evidence in finding the cause of their son’s death.
The court heard that for five years the MV Speedwell has lain at the bottom of the sea. It took one month after the boat sank for the vessel to be located.
Until yesterday’s hearing, the owner of the boat, John Conner, had not given permission for the boat to be raised from the seabed. His solicitor Michael Thomson said his client’s position had now changed, and the boat could be lifted.
Mr Kennedy said that a crown report into the incident by naval architect Iain Paton was ‘vigorously disputed’ by the family.
He said: ‘The family reject his report and they have gone to some considerable effort to get information about the boat, and witnesses to its state.
‘We will appoint a naval architect to prepare a report.’
The court was told a diver, Alistair MacLachlan, from Luing had dived to the vessel and found the propeller of the Speedwell to be snagged.
This new evidence, Mr Kennedy said, could change the outcome and the findings of the original report.
The original report said the Speedwell ‘probably sank as a result of water ingress.’
Accepting the motion, Sheriff Patrick Hughes said this would be the last time the case was adjourned. He advised Mr Kennedy that a naval architect should be appointed by the family to write a report for the court.
The brothers of the deceased and their partners, who were in court, said they were glad that after five years of waiting all the facts in the case would be brought to light. ‘It is about time,’ they said.
The inquiry will continue in June.