Published: Friday, 3rd July, 2009 2:00pm

Tug tragedy widows to sue

by Lorraine Tinney

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THE bereaved families of the Flying Phantom tugboat disaster have launched a civil action against port authority Clydeport and vessel operator Svitzer Marine.

Gourock widow Eileen Blackley and Linda Cameron, of Houston, Renfrewshire, who lost their husbands, crewman Eric, and Bob, an engineer, in the tragic sinking say they have been forced into the move.

They are furious nothing has been done to put in place the findings of the report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch into the tragedy which claimed the lives of Mr Blackley, Mr Cameron and the tug"s skipper, Stephen Humphreys, in December 2007.

The MAIB inquiry criticised Clydeport for not fitting a £30,000 fog detection system and the men"s employer, Svitzer Marine, for not ensuring the crew had special training in navigating in poor visibility.

At a press conference in Glasgow yesterday, Eileen said: 'We are absolutely dismayed the lives of our husbands" friends and workmates are still being put at risk because Clydeport won"t spend £30,000 on a fog detection system, even though they are a multi-million pound company.

'The way we are being treated is an insult to our husbands" memories. It is disrespectful.'

Linda added: 'We are bitterly angry nothing has been done to prevent other families suffering the agonies we have been through.

'We are taking legal action now, not for the money but to draw attention to the fact nothing has happened to prevent the same terrible type of accident happening again.'

Lawyers Thompsons Solicitors, acting on behalf of the families, including Helen Humphreys, of Greenock, have been fighting to get Government safety agencies to serve enforcement orders on Clydeport.

But the Health and Safety Executive and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency do not have powers to enforce changes, nor does the Department of Transport.

Solictor advocate Frank Maguire, of Thompsons Solicitors, said: 'This is a bizarre situation, given the marine environment they control is potentially dangerous for everyone who works there.'

Lawyers estimate the families" claims will run into "significant thousands", but stressed the action is designed to draw attention to the fact nothing has been done to improve safety.

Eileen"s son, Eric, 36, of Inverkip, said: 'I"m very angry nothing has been done. We are trying to improve safety on the river.'

A Clydeport spokesman said: 'We completely refute many of the claims made by Thompsons Solicitors, but given a legal action is now pending it is

inappropriate to comment further.

'However, we will be vigorously defending our position should this action go to court.'

No one from Svitzer Marine was available for comment.

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