Name Flying Phantom Yard number 486 Completed 11 November 1981 Launched 2 July 1981 Draft 3.83 m | Laid down 3 December 1980 Construction started 3 December 1980 Length 38 m Builder Ferguson Shipbuilders | |
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Owner 1981-1994 Clyde Shipping Company Ltd, Glasgow1994-2000 Clyde Tugs Ltd, Glasgow2000-2000 Cory Towage Ltd, London2000-2001 Wijsmuller Marine Ltd, Middlesbrough2001-2007 Svitzer Marine Ltd, Middlesbrough | ||
The flying phantom ship
Flying Phantom was a tug built in 1981 for the Clyde Shipping Company and based in Greenock in Scotland. As a consequence of business takeovers and mergers, by 2001 she was owned by Svitzer Marine Ltd of Middlesbrough, though still based on the Clyde.
She sank in the River Clyde at Clydebank on 19 December 2007, with the loss of Stephen Humphreys (captain), Robert Cameron (engineer) and Eric Blackley (deckhand) with only Brian Aitchison surviving. She was one of three tugs assisting the bulk carrier Red Jasmine. On the night of the accident, there was extremely poor visibility, due to heavy fog.
Following the incident the Marine Accident Investigation Branch carried out a full investigation on the accident, and their report was published in September 2008. The MAIB concluded that failings in the safety regime of the harbour authority Clydeport, as well as operational shortcomings by the tug operator, contributed to the capsize of Flying Phantom and the loss of the three crew-members.
Earlier reports that criminal charges had been laid against Clydeport and Svitzer were confirmed on 22 April 2013. In October 2013, Svitzer pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws, and was fined £1.7 million.
In September 2014 Clydeport was also fined.