The steel motor trawler Thunfisch was launched from the Bremerhaven yard of Unterweser Schiffsbau (Yard No 405) on 20th August 1958. She measured 66.83m x 9.52m x 4.5m and her tonnage was 824 gross tons, 371 net tons. She was powered by an 8 cylinder 4SA diesel engine by Klockner Humboldt Deutz, Cologne delivering 1580 brake horse power. She was built for K G Sohle Rederi, Bremerhaven.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1975
On 31st January 1975 the Thunfisch was en route from Bremerhaven to the fishing grounds with a crew of twenty men aboard. As they entered the Pentland Firth from the east they encountered a fierce Force 7 storm with winds close to gale force reducing visibility dramatically and a dangerous ebb tide. It is not clear what caused her to sink but, around 6:30am, with the crew mainly asleep in their bunks, she foundered two and a half miles north east of Duncansby Head. The crew were able to abandon ship and fired red distress flares hoping to attract attention as they were still in great danger despite safely leaving their sinking vessel in multiple liferafts. The distress signals were thankfully answered with the Longhope lifeboat being the first to arrive on the scene. They picked up three men from one life raft who were able to inform them that the remainder of the crew were adrift somewhere in Pentland Firth on four other rafts.
As the light improved a huge search was launched involving two helicopters, a Nimrod aircraft and Wick , Thurso and Longhope lifeboats. Thankfully, as the morning progressed, the crew were recovered safely. The remaining four lifeboats were spotted from the air in an inlet on the east side of Swona, Two helicopters lifted ten of the men to safety. Meanwhile, the Longhope lifeboat also reached Swona and landed some crewmen ashore and discovered the remaining seven crew of Thunfisch sheltering in an abandoned building on the island.
The wreck of the Thunfisch lies in position 58° 41.830’N, 002° 57.502’W in 64 metres with a least depth clearance of 55 metres. She was identified in 2006 when a camera was lowered to inspect the wreck. She lies oriented north west/south east upright with a list to port and at the time was fairly in tact. There are no records of anyone visiting the wreck which lies in an area swept by very strong currents. It is likely, with the effect of those currents, the wreck will have deteriorated substantially since then.
