The lost crew of the Cemfjord were remembered during a poignant service in Wick yesterday, as moves were made to examine the cement carrier which sunk in the Pentland Firth earlier this month.
The eight men who were on board the massive vessel have yet to be found but they were remembered by more than 100 people during a service at St John’s Episcopal Church.
The boss of the international shipping company, which owned the cement carrier, also thanked all of the volunteers who took part in the two-day search effort.
Brise Hamburg’s managing director, Kai-Erik Clemmenson, said the tragedy had had an “enormous effect” on the firm.
Yesterday, it emerged that the vessel had been passing through the Pentland Firth for the 99th time when it sank between Caithness and Orkney.
No distress signal was issued, and it is thought that bad weather played a part.
A search was launched after a NorthLink ferry discovered the semi-submerged hull in the sea a day after the boat’s position was last recorded.
Poor weather conditions have hampered the subsequent inquiry by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
However, a remotely operated vehicle was loaded onto the Northern Lighthouse Board’s vessel Pharos at Scrabster on Saturday.
The boat headed to the scene yesterday to start its survey of the wreck, which is expected to continue today.
Brise spokesman Tony Redding said it was unlikely that the missing seafarers’ bodies would be brought back to the surface, however, no final decision will be made until the survey is finished.
Speaking at a community meeting at Wick’s Mackay Hotel before the church service, Mr Clemmenson said: “We certainly want to say thank you to the community today and to everyone involved in the search and rescue operation.
“This has had an enormous effect on the company and we are all devastated by what has happened and are still in shock.
“We are trying to give as much support as possible to the families of the seafarers. It’s a very individual thing, as every family is structured differently. We have wives that have lost their husbands, sons that have lost their fathers, and parents who have lost their only son. It is a tragic situation.
“We have seen families and are in regular contact with them by phone, at least, and we are very much aware how traumatic it is for them.”
Mr Redding said: “We have not taken any final position but it’s unlikely that an attempt will be made to recover the bodies.
“The issue is trying an extra saturation diving operation in the Pentland Firth, with terrible weather, deep water and increasingly strong currents. You are unlikely to get enough decent weather to do that in the foreseeable future.
“And morally it may not be an appropriate thing to ask someone to risk their lives to recover bodies.”
William Munro, Thurso lifeboat coxswain, who was involved in the search effort, said yesterday’s service had been an important milestone for all involved.
“It’s important for everyone to speak about the tragedy today and it’s the families that everyone is thinking about the most,” he said.