§ Ms Glenda JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the dredger, Bom Rei. [39287]
§ Mr. BowisNone. The Bom Rei, formerly the Bowbelle, was registered under the Portuguese flag. The Portuguese authorities will be investigating the incident. The marine accident investigation branch has no jurisdiction to carry out an investigation into an incident involving a foreign flagged vessel sailing outside UK territorial waters. The MAIB has, however, provided the Portuguese authorities with a copy of the MAIB report into the Bowsprite, a sister ship, which was lost off the coast of Belgium in 1988.