Investigation into the capsize and sinking of scallop dredger Joanna C

On 27 November, Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents issued a ‘Notice of Direction to Prohibit Access’ to the wreck of Joanna C (BM265):

NOTICE OF DIRECTION TO PROHIBIT ACCESS

WRECK OF FISHING VESSEL JOANNA C 50°42.469’N – 000°04.062’E

Under the powers contained in: Regulation 10(6) of the Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1743)

and

Section 259(2)(d) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995

the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) hereby PROHIBITS access to and/or interference with the wreck of fishing vessel Joanna C or its equipment and GIVES DIRECTION requiring that the same shall be left undisturbed until further notice, pending investigation by the MAIB.

Specifically prohibited are: anchoring in the vicinity of the wreck, fishing by nets, trawls or lines in the vicinity of the wreck, and any diving operations on the wreck or its outlying gear. For the purposes of this direction, the vicinity of
the wreck shall be taken to be a circle, radius 200 metres, centred on the wreck’s location.