Thanks from Survey Team Leader..

Keith Dixon, leader of The Seisranger survey to The Gaul has given the following statement:-

As we head for Aberdeen and home I would like to take this opportunity to pay
special tribute to everyone who has contributed to the success of this
comprehensive underwater survey and evidence collecting expedition. We have
achieved all of our objectives thanks to the skill and dedication of all those
onboard and ashore.
We have taken our equipment to the very limits of its capability and thanks to the
ingenuity of our technicians and engineers both onboard and shore, we have
pioneered marine accident investigation techniques that will be of great value in
the future.
The skill of our Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) pilots has enabled us to reach
parts of the wreck that were previously held to be inaccessible while the state of
the art cameras and underwater lights have given us high quality images that will
be carefully analysed during the months ahead.
We have been hugely supported in our work by our "Forensic Team" of Detective
Inspector Andy Kirby and Chris Maguire of the Forensic Science Service. Our
search for human remains has benefited from their expertise and I am particularly
grateful for their professionalism and sensitivity in the formal logging of evidence.
I would also like to pay tribute to the family representatives who have been
onboard throughout this long and tiring expedition. They have all made significant
contributions to our work, offering useful suggestions and positive advice
throughout. I thank them all.
I also offer my appreciation to my professional colleagues Tony Brown, Crawford
Logan, Cliff Brand, Will Handley, Alan Rushton and Graham Wilson and our two
fishing advisors Ernie Suddaby and George Petty.
While acknowledging the invaluable role played by those conducting and
supporting the survey and collecting the evidence, I am also extremely grateful to
the Subsea 7 team of professionals both onboard and ashore, who have
contributed so very much time and energy to seeing this survey through to a
successful conclusion.
Finally, I would like to thank the Master of MV Seisranger, Captain Bejørn
Johannesen and his crew for their dedication and support. They have looked after
us superbly, maintained the vessels position over the wreck for such an extended
period, fed us well and made us very welcome and comfortable. They could not
have done more.
It is hoped that the efforts of these past few weeks will enable conclusions to be
drawn about how this tragedy occurred so many years ago."
Keith Dixon
Team Leader