In the darkness of the night this German trawler came to close to a reef. The crew barely had time to fire two red distress flares and broadcast a mayday, before the vessel foundered, two and a half miles north-east of Duncansby Head. The Longhope lifeboat was alerted and launched at 6.42am. Coming east against the Force 7 wind and an ebb tide, the lifeboat saw red flares beyond the island of Swona, made all speed and picked up three men in a liferaft.
The story of the Thunfisch's last moments became known and the survivors reported that their seventeen companions had abandoned ship in four other rafts. As dawn slowly spread over the firth two helicopters, a nimrod aircraft, the Wick and Thurso lifeboats and other vessels began to search the area and finally spotted the missing rafts in a narrow geo on the east side of Swona. Helicopters lifted away the ten men found. Meanwhile the Longhope lifeboat acting on a hunch landed four of her crew on Swona. When they searched the island on foot, they found the remains seven men from the Thunfisch, some naked, all exhausted by their experience, sheltering in James and Violet Rosie's former home, where the stockpiled supplies had saved their lives.
Swona had lost its last permanent residents in March 1974 when James and Violet Rosie closed the door of their house and moved to South Ronaldsay, Orkney. They left blankets, heaters and some basic food supplies a thoughtful act whose generosity found its reward with the crew of the Thunfisch.
The Thunfisch was registered in Bremerhaven. She was built in 1958 and was 824 gross registered tons, length 66.8m, beam 9.4m and depth 4.3m. Her 1 x 6 cyl. diesel engine with single shaft developed 1560 b.h.p.
In 2006 the wreck was located using magnetometer and camera at NGR 344556E 979219N. Possibly Latitude 58 41.83N, Longitude 002 57.502W.
The story of the Thunfisch's last moments became known and the survivors reported that their seventeen companions had abandoned ship in four other rafts. As dawn slowly spread over the firth two helicopters, a nimrod aircraft, the Wick and Thurso lifeboats and other vessels began to search the area and finally spotted the missing rafts in a narrow geo on the east side of Swona. Helicopters lifted away the ten men found. Meanwhile the Longhope lifeboat acting on a hunch landed four of her crew on Swona. When they searched the island on foot, they found the remains seven men from the Thunfisch, some naked, all exhausted by their experience, sheltering in James and Violet Rosie's former home, where the stockpiled supplies had saved their lives.
Swona had lost its last permanent residents in March 1974 when James and Violet Rosie closed the door of their house and moved to South Ronaldsay, Orkney. They left blankets, heaters and some basic food supplies a thoughtful act whose generosity found its reward with the crew of the Thunfisch.
The Thunfisch was registered in Bremerhaven. She was built in 1958 and was 824 gross registered tons, length 66.8m, beam 9.4m and depth 4.3m. Her 1 x 6 cyl. diesel engine with single shaft developed 1560 b.h.p.
In 2006 the wreck was located using magnetometer and camera at NGR 344556E 979219N. Possibly Latitude 58 41.83N, Longitude 002 57.502W.