"We didn't find the evidence I thought we would find in an active pockmark," he said. "Ideally, we would have seen a few gas bubbles about and bacterial 'mats' where microbes beneath the seabed consume the methane."
Dr Robert Prescott, director of the Scottish Institute of Maritime Studies at St Andrews University, is attempting to identify the trawler and determine some of the circumstances surrounding its loss. His is the lead agency in the UK dealing with matters relating to wreck heritage.
I think most ships are lost through stress of weather but the argument that it was lost in a gas emission is a plausible one
Dr Robert Prescott, St Andrews University
"It's an early 20th century steel-built steam trawler. That much is clear from the pictures - the configuration of the deck, the layout of hatches, the shape of the hull," he told BBC News Online.
"I think most ships are lost through stress of weather but the argument that it was lost in a gas emission is a plausible one. It's an intriguing hypothesis and I keep an open mind on it."
The findings of the institute's research on the wreck will be revealed in the Savage Planet programme due to air early next year on ITV. And a more detailed account of the recent expedition can be found on the New Scientist website. The magazine travelled on the Skandi Inspector.
Search BBC News Online
Advanced search options
Launch console
BBC RADIO NEWS
BBC ONE TV NEWS
WORLD NEWS SUMMARY
BBC NEWS 24 BULLETIN
PROGRAMMES GUIDE
See also:
11 Oct 99 | Sci/Tech
Global warming can make sea level plunge
07 Sep 98 | Sci/Tech
Future fuel lies ocean deep
Internet links:
Savage Planet
Scottish Institute of Maritime Studies
New Scientist
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Top Sci/Tech stories now:
Astronomy's next big thing
Ancient rock points to life's origin
Mobile spam on the rise
Giant telescope project gets boost
New hope for Aids vaccine
Replace your mouse with your eye
Device could detect overdose drugs
Wireless internet arrives in China
Links to more Sci/Tech stories are at the foot of the page.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1047249.stm