A PROBE into the tragic sinking of a tug in the Clyde off Greenock which claimed the life of a Cumbrae man has been completed.
A full report on the incident, which resulted in the deaths of Ian Catterson, 73, of Millport, and 65-year-old Greenock man George Taft, is now being drafted.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has confirmed that it has finished its investigation relating to the tug Biter, which capsized while assisting the Hebridean Princess cruise ship off Custom House Quay on February 24 last year.
The marine watchdog has also confirmed that its report on the Waverley’s crash into Brodick Pier on Arran in 2020 is in the final stages of preparation for its publication.
Following the sinking of Biter, a specialist crane ship was brought in to recover her from the riverbed, which allowed the accident investigators to inspect the tug.
The major recovery operation necessitated the implementation of a 200-metre exclusion zone and drone ban around the site.
The process was observed by Police Scotland, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency and MAIB observed the recovery process, which was the responsibility of marine insurers, to ensure evidence was preserved.
In an update about the status of the probe into the tragedy, a MAIB spokesperson told our sister title, the Greenock Telegraph: “The investigation is now complete, and the report is being drafted.”
Mr Catterson's body was recovered the day after the tragedy.
Heartfelt tributes were paid by Cumbrae residents to the lifelong marine enthusiast, who had travelled around the world while working as a principal surveyor inspecting ships, boats and oil rigs.
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