News

Two found dead on Milford trawler

Published

12 years ago

January 18, 2014

TWO FISHERMEN have been found dead on board a Milford Haven registered fishing boat moored in Whitby harbour on Wednesday (January 15).
Mark Arries, 26, from Blythe and Edward Ide, 21, from Amble in Northumberland had been working on the fishing vessel M220 Eshcol.
The boat is one of a small party of vessels from Milford Haven that had been fishing for scallops off the Whitby coast for a number of weeks. The boats would normally have been at sea, had poor weather not forced them to remain in the harbour.
The bodies of two crew members were found in their beds and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the cause, with carbon monoxide poisoning believed to be the most likely cause of death.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire police told The Herald that the vessel had been berthed beside the market building to allow it to be refuelled, and it is only when the fuel tanker arrived that the bodies were discovered.
The police confirmed that the vessel actually has a crew of three people, with another man opting to sleep on a different vessel the previous night, a decision which appears to have saved his life.
Darren Butcher of Whitby Fish Market told local reporters: “As I got here there was shouting and they were trying to wake them up. Then at about 9.45am when the other crew were here, they must have thought ‘hey up, where’s these two lads?’ They’ve gone aboard, kicked the door in and obviously found them there.”
Reports have suggested the men suffered carbon monoxide poisoning having left an oven ring burning throughout the night to provide heat.
Tributes to the men have been paid on the Facebook group of trade newspaper, Fishing News.
The deaths are currently being treated as unexplained

Climate

Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum project endorsed as UN Ocean Decade Activity

Published

2 hours ago

November 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Climate adaptation toolkit joins global sustainability programme

PEMBROKESHIRE COASTAL FORUM (PCF) has announced that its Climate Adaptation Toolkit for Coastal Communities has been officially endorsed as a United Nations Ocean Decade Activity, recognising the project’s contribution to international efforts to build a more sustainable relationship with the world’s oceans.

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), coordinated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, brings together organisations across the globe to generate and share knowledge that can support resilient and sustainable coastal futures. Endorsed activities contribute to one or more of the Decade’s ten scientific and societal challenges.

PCF’s Climate Adaptation Toolkit is designed to help coastal communities prepare for the realities of climate change. The project provides accessible information, guidance and learning materials for local authorities, educators and community groups as they plan for coastal erosion, flooding, sea-level rise and other long-term environmental pressures.

Running from December 2025 to March 2026, the project will use online learning resources, case studies and engagement sessions to increase understanding of how climate change is already affecting the coastline, and what practical steps communities can take to adapt.

Jetske Germing, Managing Director of Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, said: “We’re honoured that the Climate Adaptation Toolkit has been recognised as part of the United Nations Ocean Decade. This endorsement highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in tackling coastal challenges, and reflects our ongoing commitment to building resilient, sustainable coastal communities.”

The endorsement places the toolkit within an international network of projects working towards the UN Decade’s vision of “the science we need for the ocean we want”.

PCF’s involvement adds to Wales’ growing profile in the field of coastal sustainability. The organisation’s wider programme of work includes Marine Renewable Energy, Sustainable Recreation, Education and Skills, Water Quality, and Land Use — all centred on its vision of a sustainable coast and ocean for future generations.

Further information about the UN Ocean Decade can be found on the initiative’s website.

Crime

Youth given conditional discharge for smashing pub windows

Published

2 hours ago

November 13, 2025

Court Reporter

A TEENAGER has been handed a conditional discharge after admitting damaging windows at a Pembroke pub last year.

A 17-year-old boy from Pembroke Dock, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Nov 13).

The court heard that on April 10, 2024, he damaged several windows at a premises owned by Marston’s PLC, causing £1,002 worth of damage.

He received a six-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £500 compensation. Magistrates made no order for costs, noting that compensation should take priority.