Fishing vessel Nicola Faith recovered from seabed off Welsh coast

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has confirmed that the wreckage of the sunken fishing vessel Nicola Faith, which was lost in an accident that also claimed the lives of all three of its crew earlier this year, has been recovered from the seabed off the Welsh coast.

Following the recovery of the vessel by the MAIB, it will be transported to a secure location for further investigation, testing, and stability analysis.

In the first stages of the operation, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to conduct a final survey of Nicola Faith in the position it came to rest on the seabed.

Evidence including fishing equipment and outlying debris were mapped and collected from the area around the vessel. This information will be crucial in helping investigators understand what caused the vessel to capsize.

In preparation for the recovery, a number of anchors were laid out and salvage pumps were used to remove a large quantity of seawater from the vessel.

The 11-tonne Nicola Faith was raised using a 43-metre-long crane barge capable of lifting up to 150 tonnes and placed on the deck of an adjacent ship ready for transportation.

The vessel will be brought to a specially adapted location where it will be housed until the investigation is complete. Once it has been secured, the families of the crew will have an opportunity to view the vessel if they wish.

Nicola Faith went missing in Colwyn Bay off North Wales on January 27, 2021. The wreckage remained undiscovered until early April when it was located and confirmed by MAIB-led dive teams 1.9 nautical miles off Rhos Point.