VICTORY

Shipbuildervessel built by John Lewis & Sons (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1907 - 1976)

Date1965

Object NameFISHING VESSEL

MediumSTEEL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 215' x breadth 41' 2" x depth 27'
Gross Tonnage: 1181ton

Object numberABDSHIP000280

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: John Lewis & Sons.
Yard Number: 346

Fate: Lost due to fire in engine room, 1 May 1974.

Propulsion: Motor
Description: Stern trawler.

Owners:
1965: West Dock Steam Fishing Co., Grimsby.
Date unknown: Northern Trawlers Ltd, Grimsby GY733.

General History:
1965: Average speed on trial 15.95 knots.

11/1974:
'VICTORY is lying on her starboard side on the west side of Kola inlet, opposite Murmansk [...]Three successive fires, which started in the engine room and spread to the accommodation, gutted the VICTORY in May. After the second outbreak, the crew were transferred to another BUT stern trawler, the KURD, and later the abandoned vessel was taken in tow by a Soviet naval vessel to Murmansk.
The mate, Phil Carthy, said it was a miracle that any of the crew had survived the inferno. Things were so bad infact that Norwegian radio put out reports that the trawler had sunk.
Mr McCarthy told waiting reporters: "It was an absolute inferno. When we abandoned her the ship was burning from stem to stern and the bridge deck started to melt. It is a miracle that we are all alive. The ship could have been blown up."
The second blaze was thought to have started in the refrigeration room. The vessel was so hot that water from two Russian gunboats turned into steam as soon as it made contact. Mr McCarthy said that at one point it was feared that an engineer was trapped in the engine room.
"I was just about to try to go in and get him when I was told he had got out through an escape hatch. There was nothing we could do about the second fire," he said. There were around 200 tons of fish on board at the time of the fire.'
About three weeks later she rolled over into her present position as a result of leakage in the hull. Inspection suggested extensive damage which may be irrepairable.
VICTORY, built by John Lewis for about £700,000 was Northern Trawlers' first large stern freezer trawler to be based at Grimsby.
(Reported in Fishing News International)

Note: Engine number 416 Diesel electric by English Electric.