Tristan : Seaman Stabbed on the South African Research ship SA Agulhas in the South Atlantic.
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 01.10.2007 (Article Archived on 15.10.2007)

In the early hours of Friday morning 28th September 2007, Tristan radio and the Administrator was informed of an incident by the master of South African research ship the SA Agulhas, which was operating within Tristan da Cunha's EEZ.

Seaman Stabbed on the South African Research ship SA Agulhas in the South Atlantic.

In the early hours of Friday morning 28th September 2007, Tristan radio and the Administrator was informed of an incident by the master of South African research ship the SA Agulhas, which was operating within Tristan da Cunha's EEZ.  

The incident was later known to involve a fight among crewmembers on Thursday 27th September, during a late-night drinking session, at which time crewmember Mr Edward Hulley, 22, of Brooklyn, was believed to have been stabbed by a fellow crewman, and later died.

With support from London, the Tristan Administrator ensured all the necessary steps were taken and appropriate support given.    The Tristan Administrator informed the skipper of the Agulhas that the deceased and accused would not be able to disembark on to Tristan, as there were inadequate resources and facilities on Tristan, to fully safeguard the welfare and rights of such a detained person, or provide the proper and appropriate assistance. In addition given that the ship, its crew, the deceased and the accused are all of South African origin, there were complex jurisdictional issues. It was considered essential that the vessel should return to South Africa where a thorough investigation would be carried out.

Later on Friday the Administrator was informed by the Master of the Agulhas that a South African Environmental vessel would rendezvous with the Agulhas and disembark the accused and the body of the deceased in about three days time. 

During a Birthday Celebration in the community Hall the same evening, the Administrator took the opportunity to brief the community on what had happened and confirmed that the Agulhas return trip to Cape Town via Tristan, was back on schedule.

The latest news is that she is expected to arrive at Tristan on Wednesday the 3rd October to discharge the remaining cargo and collect passengers, prior to departing for Cape Town.   The South African Environmental vessel Sarah Baartman is also scheduled to arrive at Tristan and will collect the accused and the body of the deceased from the SA Agulhas.

James Glass