French Fishing Vessel 'Saint-Jacques II' Crew Members Recovered Off Plymouth Coast
The bodies of two French fishermen have been recovered following the sinking of their scallop trawler, the 'Saint-Jacques II', approximately 80 nautical miles south-southwest of Plymouth. The vessel, based in Lorient, Brittany, reportedly issued a distress signal on Thursday evening, indicating problems with its fishing gear before contact was lost.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Falmouth initiated a significant search operation, involving a Royal Navy warship, a French navy helicopter, and multiple civilian vessels. One body was located by a passing merchant ship and subsequently recovered by a French navy helicopter. A second body was later discovered by a French fishing vessel.
The third crew member from the 'Saint-Jacques II' remains unaccounted for, and search operations for the individual have now been called off. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed the suspension of efforts, stating that further searching would be unproductive. French authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the vessel's sinking.
