Solway Harvester

Solway Harvester in Douglas, Isle of Man, in April 2010
History
United Kingdom
Name:	Solway Harvester
Builder:	Hepworth shipyard, Paull, Yorkshire.
Launched:	1992
In service:	1992–2000
Fate:	Sunk on 11 January 2000
Status:	Salvaged, laid up in the harbour in Douglas, Isle of Man, and finally scrapped.
General characteristics
Class and type:	Scallop dredger
Length:	70ft (20m)
Crew:	7

The Solway Harvester was a scallop dredger from Kirkcudbright, Scotland which sank off the coast of Ramsey, Isle of Man in heavy storms on 11 January 2000 with the loss of all seven crew members.

Following salvage, the damaged ship was taken to Douglas, Isle of Man, where she remained until cut up for scrapping in January 2014.

The Solway Harvester was launched in 1992. An automated scallop dredger, she was fitted with sections along the sides which would rotate out and upwards to deposit the catch on the deck. She was 70 ft (21m) long and had accommodation for eight on board, plus a workshop, ice machine and storage for the catch. She was owned by Richard Gidney and operated under the command of her skipper, Andrew (Craig) Mills. Her crew were all from the Isle of Whithorn area of Dumfries and Galloway.

On her final voyage, the Solway Harvester sailed from Kirkcudbright in the early hours of 10 January 2000. She headed into the Irish Sea to harvest scallops from the queen scallop grounds. There were seven crew members aboard, two were as young as 17. They remained off the grounds until the afternoon of the following day, 11 January. Having collected 150 bags of scallops, they hauled in their gear and began the return voyage. The weather meanwhile had begun to worsen, and skipper Craig Mills decided to seek shelter in Ramsey Bay, Isle of Man. Mills made a final phone call at 17:29.

Nothing further was heard until 17:47, when a satellite picked up an emergency position radio beacon. A search and rescue mission was quickly organised, with lifeboats from Workington, Douglas and Ramsey and Port St Mary being launched. Helicopters flew out from RAF Prestwick and RAF Valley and a helicopter from the Irish Air Corps and a fixed wing aircraft from the Royal Ulster Constabulary joined in the search. Larger vessels also joined the search, with RFA Bayleaf and the Ben-my-Chree, the Isle of Man ferry moving into the area to help. The search was called off at dusk on 12 January, when two unopened liferafts were found. The Royal Navy was called in to assist and the Sandown class minehunter HMS Sandown began to search the sea bed. Sandown eventually located the wreck of the Solway Harvester on 15 January lying in 115 feet (35 m) of water, 11 miles (18 km) off the Isle of Man. The bodies of all seven of the crew were found on board. They were: Andrew (Craig) Mills, Martin Milligan, Wesley Jolly, David Lyon, Robin Mills, David Mills and John Doyle Murphy.