§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade what inquiries he has made into the sinking of the radio ship "Caroline" off Southend; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TebbitThe vessel "Mi Amigo", which was used as a radio station known as Radio Caroline, was not owned or registered as a ship in the United Kingdom. The vessel broke adrift during heavy weather on 19 March and eventually sank outside United Kingdom territorial waters about 22 miles from Shoe-704W buryness. All those on board were rescued by lifeboat. The position of the "Mi Amigo" has been marked and the vessel is not a hazard to shipping.
It is not my Department's normal practice to conduct marine casualty investigations into incidents occurring outside territorial waters involving non-United Kingdom ships. There are no exceptional marine safety or other grounds to justify an investigation into the sinking of the "Mi Amigo".