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New Year is normally a time of celebration, but sometimes the turn of the year can also bring tragedy. Such was the case 50 years ago, when in January 1957 the government Fishery Cruiser 'Vaila' ran aground on the small island of Eilean Iuvard (Eilean Iubhard) at the mouth of Loch Shell, Isle of Lewis. Tragically, five crew members drowned.
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The National Archives of Scotland (NAS) holds a number of different records about this tragic event. They include official reports about the disaster and testimonies from survivors, held in government files from the Fisheries Division of the former Scottish Home Department, now the Scottish Government (NAS refs. AF62/3995/1-4 and AF62/4051). The files record details of the accident, which took place in the early hours of the morning of 6 January 1957. The 'Vaila' ran aground at around 5.30am in poor visibility, and as she settled further onto the rocks, the captain gave the order to abandon ship. Two lifeboats were launched safely, but a third became fouled and capsized, and the remaining men, including the captain, were thrown into the sea. The captain was later rescued by one of the other boats, but despite valiant attempts to find the missing men, none was found alive.
The sinking and tragic loss of life resulted in a fatal accident inquiry being held in February that year at Stornoway Sheriff Court, the nearest court to where the accident occurred. The inquiry found that no negligence was involved on the part of the captain or crew, and that all steps had been taken to safeguard life. The NAS hold the records of this court inquiry also, in the Stornoway sheriff court series (SC33/13). After the tragedy, the government looked to the installation of inflatable liferafts, developed by the Royal Navy, on all its fishery vessels.
Fatal accident inquiries are currently being indexed by our Court and Legal Records Branch and will soon be available to search on our online catalogue.
The file also contains one, rather poignant handwritten memo at the start of the file, which records the messages being received on the night of the shipwreck from the Coastguard. It indicates – "F.C. Vaila has been ashore at Craigmore, Lewis, damaged and requiring assistance. Last message received "I am abandoning ship, crew taken to the boats."...At 8am. Approx. Naval Duty Officer, Rosyth, 'phoned to say "Vaila" had sunk, but he thought the crew would be saved as they were in fairly calm water." The memo is shown below.
NAS ref. AF62/3995 p124
Transcription
Message received 7.20am
on 6/1/57
F.C. Vaila has been ashore
at Craigmore, Lewis, damaged
and requiring assistance.
Last message received "I am
abandoning ship, crew taken
to the boats." Stornoway
lifeboats and lsa proceeding
T.0.0. 0630 Coastguard
Stornoway
At 8.00am approx. Naval
Duty Officer, Rosyth, 'phoned
to say "Vaila" had sunk,
but he thought the crew
would be saved as they
were in fairly calm water.
I informed Captain MacCallum
and Mr Cowan; and later Mr Rose &
Miss Blair
C.E.M. 6/1/57
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