Stricken vessel's calls for help were ignored

A SKIPPER said it was disgraceful that nearby vessels ignored his call for help after his boat ran out of fuel some 45 miles off Guernsey on Monday.

Peter Morgan and seven crew members were returning from Paimpol, Brittany, to Mousehole, near Penzance, Cornwall, aboard a 130-year-old traditional fishing boat, when the engine stopped at about 4.30am after 10 hours at sea.

Mr Morgan said it would have been inappropriate to put out a mayday call as nobody was in danger but a pan-pan call to boats nearby – indicating an urgent problem but no immediate danger – initially received no response.