Keynvor Morlift completes recovery of Nicola Faith

KML has successfully recovered the fishing vessel Nicola Faith off the coast of Colwyn bay after being appointed to carry out the sensitive project by the MAIB. The fishing vessel disappeared along with her three-man crew on the 27^th of January this year. KML recovered the wreck using four units from its in-house specialist vessel fleet, including crane barge BD6072, multi-cat Sarah Grey, ROV vessel Severn Sea, and tug Venture.

In the first stages of the operation, and working closely with the MAIB investigation team, KML conducted a survey of Nicola Faith in the position she came to rest on the seabed. Undertaken from KML’s multi-purpose vessel Severn Sea with her LW-ROV, the debris field including fishing equipment, was carefully mapped for later recovery by divers as part of the salvage operation. Such operations require detailed planning and careful execution to ensure preservation of evidence and to minimise environmental impact. The gathered information will be crucial in helping the MAIB understand what led to the loss of the vessel.

In preparation for the recovery, KML produced detailed lift and salvage plans, including anti-pollution contingency planning. In field, a number of anchors were accurately positioned on the seabed to secure the crane barge on location, and divers carried out further survey and inspection work. Divers then installed heavy-lifting strops underneath the hull and then carefully lifted her out of the water.

The Nicola Faith, was then carefully raised using KML’s 43-metre-long crane barge BD6072 (capable of lifting up to 150te), placed on the deck of the Sarah Grey and transported a nearby dock for detailed analysis by the MAIB.

KML are proud to have assisted the MAIB in this precise and sensitive project.

KML Managing Director, Diccon Rogers, said:

“Our ability to provide all vessels, planning, assets and resources in-house meant we could respond quickly and efficiently to this tasking. We are proud to have assisted the MAIB on this precise and sensitive recovery scope, and to have delivered the ‘Nicola Faith’ safely ashore for the continuation of accident investigation.”

Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Captain Andrew Moll said:

“This operation needed to be meticulously planned and executed to ensure that valuable evidence was conserved. We are pleased to have achieved that and successfully recovered Nicola Faith.”

KML would like to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine, and skipper Carl McGrath, and to the entire local community, for the tragic loss of the vessel and her crew.