Inquiry to be held over deaths of fishermen in trawler blaze

A FATAL accident inquiry is to be held in July into the deaths of three foreign fishermen in a devastating fire on board a trawler at a Scottish harbour.

Two Filipino fishermen and a Latvian crewman were killed in August 2008 in the blaze on the 90ft prawn trawler Vision II at Fraserburgh harbour.

The deaths led to claims by the International Transport Workers' Federation that "unscrupulous" Scottish skippers were exploiting migrant workers because of a shortage of local crews – accusations denied by Scottish fishing industry leaders.

A report on the blaze, published last March by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, revealed the fire was probably started by an electric fan heater in the galley.

The report also stated the heat and smoke sensors connected to an alarm panel in the wheelhouse may not have been functioning.

The fatal accident inquiry will be held at Peterhead Sheriff Court from 20 to 22 July.