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Bad weather postpones search to find ship wreck in Pentland Firth

The Cemfjord cargo ship after it overturned off the north coast of Scotland (RNLI/PA)
The Cemfjord cargo ship after it overturned off the north coast of Scotland (RNLI/PA)

Plans for further surveys of the Cemfjord have been put on hold because of the poor weather forecast for the north.

It had been hoped that a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) could be sent down to the wreck in the Pentland Firth this week as efforts to solve the mystery of what happened to ship continue.

Earlier this week, the Northern Lighthouse Board’s vessel Pharos used its sonar to pinpoint the wreck’s position. But it is understood that nothing more will happen until calmer weather.

An RAF helicopter searches near John O'Groats
An RAF helicopter searches near John O’Groats

The vessel is resting upside down on the seabed to the east of Orkney after sinking at the weekend. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is investigating the tragedy, which is thought to have claimed the lives of the eight crew – including seven Polish men and one Filipino.

A Northlink ferry, Hrossey, found the Cemfjord’s upturned hull in the Pentland Firth on Saturday, prompting a major land, air and sea search for survivors.

The vessel was last recorded between Orkney and Stroma on Friday afternoon and had not issued a distress signal. One of the lines of investigation is expected to examine why the emergency position indicating radio beacon was not activated when the boat capsized.

A liferaft from the boat was found in the Pentland Firth on Monday but there were no signs of life on board.

Tony Redding, spokesman for German shipping company Brise of Hamburg, which manages the Cemfjord, said that situation was “difficult”.

A shot of the doomed Cemfjord

He said: “The main issue is one of safety. We do not wish to put people in harm’s way. The forecast is severe for the weekend.

“The company has never been in a situation like this before. It is the human side of it is on everybody’s mind.

“The captain was very well known in the field. He has been with the company for a long time and worked his way up after joining as an ordinary seaman.”

Meanwhile, the wife of one of the missing men has said she believes he is still alive.

Father-of-four Jarek Orlow, a former marine rescue worker, was second-in-command.

His wife Katarzyna said her husband had trained ferry crews how to behave during such incidents.

She said: “He is a strong and athletic man who acted responsibly and paid attention to his safety and the safety of his colleagues at sea.

“He is alive. I know that he wouldn’t give up easily. He loved his life and told me he would do anything to get back to us. I still believe that.

“I feel that he is fighting to return to us, to his four children and his wife whom he always put first and cared about above everything.”