factory trawler Capitaine Pleven II

Capitaine Pleven II is part of the series of 3 trawlers built in the early 70 for Pleven Fisheries. However, she is more powerful than the Victor Pleven because she has a 2600 hp engine.

Capitaine Pleven II was used for the cod fishery in Newfoundland and passed under the flag of Comapêche in 1982.

In anticipation of the end of quotas for cod, she undergoes transformation in 1990 to test a new production: surimi-base from flesh of blue whiting.

The sinking

On April 5, 1991, Capitaine Pleven II was on route to the Far North to continue her experiments on surimi. A crew member gets hurt and the captain decided to divert to remove the injured. Unfortunately, Capitaine Pleven II goes aground on the rocks in the Bay of Galway, Ireland. Following the Mayday launched, most of the crew is being hoisted. Those who remained on board will try for 12 hours to refloat the vessel, but in vain. A new storm arriving, they should abandon ship and are evacuated by helicopter in turn.

Capitaine Pleven II resisted to the storm and was refloated and towed to Cork. Put in dry dock, she was considered to be not repairable and was abandoned to insurers.