Sunken Vessel of Interest Located in Search for Missing FV Nicola Faith Off Wales

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) says it has located an unidentified sunken vessel of “significant interest” in its search for the missing fishing vessel Nicola Faith lost off North Wales earlier this year.

The F/V Nicola Faith went missing off the coast of Colwyn Bay on January 27, 2021 with the lsos of its three crew members.

While the bodies of the crew members have been recovered, the MAIB is still keen to find the wreck to understand the causes and circumstances of the sinking. A life raft from the vessel was also previously recovered.

“A sunken vessel deemed to be of significant interest has been located in the Colwyn Bay area by an MAIB commissioned vessel searching for the missing fishing vessel Nicola Faith,” a spokesperson for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said. “The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has issued a ‘Notice of Direction to Prohibit Access’ around the wreck requiring that it be left undisturbed until further notice, pending further investigation by the MAIB.”

The Notice of Direction to Prohibit Access ensures that the unidentified sunken vessel remains undisturbed for purposes of the investigation.

“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,” the notice reads. “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.”

The unidentified wreck’s coordinates are 53°20.019’N – 003° 41.876’W.

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