FV Trident

The FV Trident was a modern, 80-foot seine-net trawler that vanished on 3 October 1974 while on passage from the Clyde to Peterhead. No distress signal was received. The initial 1975 inquiry was deeply unsatisfactory for the families; it concluded that the ship had probably foundered after taking on a succession of waves, but it left a "slur" on the crew by suggesting that their handling of the vessel or failure to secure hatches might have been a factor.

For nearly 30 years, the location of the Trident remained unknown until amateur divers discovered the wreck in 2001, lying in 62 metres of water off the coast of Caithness. This discovery provided "new and important evidence," prompting the Secretary of State to re-open the investigation.

The re-opened inquiry utilized advanced computer modelling and stability tests conducted on a sister ship, the Silver Lining. The results were startling: the Trident was found to have had "virtually no margin of stability" when fully loaded with fuel and water. The inquiry found that even in moderate Force 5–6 winds, the ship would have been at extreme risk of a sudden, "irrecoverable capsize" during a turn.

The final report was a total vindication for the seven men who died. It blamed the ship's builders and designers for failing to carry out a mandatory "inclining test" (a physical test to measure stability) before the vessel entered service. Had this test been performed, the Trident would never have been allowed to go to sea.