A memorial service was held on the Isle of Man on Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Solway Harvester tragedy.
A wreath was laid at the memorial on Douglas Head by Chief Minister Howard Quale MHK and Donald Gelling CBE, who was chief minister at the time of the accident.
The Kirkcudbright-registered scallop dredger set sail from the town on January 10, 2000, on a voyage to fishing grounds in the
Irish Sea.
Due to bad weather, they altered their return trip the following day and headed for the Isle of Man but the boat sank in rough conditions.
The seven crew – skipper Andrew Mills, 29, his brother Robin, 33, their cousin David Mills, 17, Martin Milligan, 26, John Murphy, 22, David Lyons, 18, and Wesley Jolly, 17 – all lost their lives.
They were from the Wigtownshire villages of Whithorn, the Isle of Whithorn and Garlieston.
Following the accident, the Isle of Man government mounted a £1million operation to raise the vessel from the Manx seabed and ensure the bodies of the men were returned to Scotland for burial. The Solway Harvester was eventually scrapped in Douglas in 2013.
Joining Mr Quale and Mr Gelling at the ceremony were representatives of the organisation who helped with the rescue attempt and the recovery of the men.
They included members of the island’s fishing community, the RNLI, Coastguard, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Douglas Borough Council.
There was also a reading by the Very Reverend Nigel Godfrey and a special poem written and read by Manx Bard Zoe Cannell.
Mr Howard said: “On behalf of the people of the Isle of Man, I am grateful for this opportunity to pay tribute to the seven young men who lost their lives so tragically 20 years ago.
“This terrible accident was a massive loss for their families and their community, a loss that is still being mourned two decades on in Scotland and in the Isle of Man. As a seafaring nation, we understood the heartache of those left behind and this tragedy has led to an enduring bond between the island and the men’s home towns.”
Closer to home, a service was held in St Ninian’s Priory Church in Whithorn on Saturday evening.
South of Scotland MSP Emma Harper raised a motion at Holyrood to mark the 20th anniversary and said: “I express my deepest sympathy to the families of those affected and commend the community spirit and peer support of all those who attended the memorial service at
St Ninian’s Priory Church.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “All our thoughts are with the family and friends of the seven men who lost their lives.
“There are close links between Scotland and the Isle of Man, particularly between our respective fishing communities, and I know the people of the Isle of Man share our enormous sadness on this anniversary.
“The tragedy of the Solway Harvester is a reminder of the dangers faced by our fishing fleet and the courage of those who work in the industry.
