Broads officials reveal why boats sank on River Yare
Two vessels sank to the bottom of the river
Officials have revealed why two boats sank in close proximity, spurring speculation a stretch of river had become the ‘Bermuda Triangle of the Broads’.
Engineers have raised the two vessels, which sank to the bottom of the River Yare between Reedham and Berney Arms in an operation lasting two weeks that cost £72,000.
The incidents happened just 1.5 miles apart and are among several wrecks on the waterways, which are causing rising costs for the Broads Authority, which is responsible for recovering sunken vessels.
La Bergere, a 66ft houseboat, which has a heavy concrete-filled steel hull, sank near the historic drainage mill, Polkey’s Mill, about a mile downstream from Reedham while under way.
A smaller 39ft yacht, called Tauri, sank while moored near the Berney Arms pub.
It required a specialist dive team and equipment that included a floating crane and military-grade floats to lift the heavy vessels.
The mystery behind the wrecks led to the stretch of the River Yare to be compared with the Bermuda Triangle.
This area in the western Atlantic Ocean became notorious due to the high number of aircraft and ships that have disappeared under supposedly suspicious circumstances.
But BA officials have now conducted an investigation into why the the two vessels sank.
A spokesman said: “The Authority has concluded investigations into the two boats recently raised.
“It appears that the 39ft boat previously sank in bad weather whilst moored around a year ago.
“It had been partially raised but a considerable amount of sediment remained in the hull making it unstable and at risk of sinking again.
“The second larger vessel has also been raised and taken to the Authority’s dockyard.
“It is likely that it sank because of a mechanical failure.
“Either the bilge pumps failed causing a slow and gradual ingress of water or there was a catastrophic and sudden failure of the exhaust and cooling system.
“The integrity of the hull was not compromised and the boat was not moored when it sank.”
The BA will seek to recover the costs of raising the vessels from the owners or their insurance company.