HULL WIVES ANGRY OVER NEW LOSS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31597, 7 February 1968, Page 13

HULL WIVES ANGRY OVER NEW LOSS

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

HULL (England), February 6.

Angry fishermen’s wives, grief stricken over the loss of 59 of their men at sea, plan to meet Government leaders in London today to demand urgent new safety measures for trawlermen.

Their protest is after yesterday’s disappearance off Iceland of the 659-ton Ross Cleveland with the crew of 19.

She was the third Hull trawler to disappear in three weeks the 600-ton Saint Romanus and the 638-ton Kings-

ton Peridot also vanished in the same icy waters. The Ross- Cleveland was swamped under a wave caused by a 100 m.p.h. wind. The last message from her skipper said she was overturning. Captain Phillip Gay, aged 41, radioed: “I am going. We are laying over. Help me. "... Give my love and the crew’s love to their wives and families.” No more was heard.

Bitterness and anger exploded with the news of the Ross Cleveland’s disappearance.

The loss of the two other trawlers had already brought protests that fishermen face too much peril and set off demonstrations and protest meetings by the women of Hull.

Their delegation, led by Mrs “Big Lil" Bilocca, Is meeting the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fred Peart, and the Minister of State at the Board of Trade, Mr Joseph Mallalieu. The Ministers will later report to the Prime Minister, Mr Harold Wilson, to discuss possible restrictions on trawler operations. Mrs Bilocca, who last week tried to stop trawlers sailing

out of Hull, particularly wants a qualified radio operator on every vessel. The Saint Romanus bad no radio operator.