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| Funeral held for tug boat skipper | Funeral held for tug boat skipper |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Mourners have gathered in Inverclyde for the funeral of a tug boat skipper who died when his vessel capsized on the River Clyde. | Mourners have gathered in Inverclyde for the funeral of a tug boat skipper who died when his vessel capsized on the River Clyde. |
| Stephen Humphreys, 33, from Greenock, was one of three men who died when the Flying Phantom sank on 19 December. A fourth crew member was rescued. | Stephen Humphreys, 33, from Greenock, was one of three men who died when the Flying Phantom sank on 19 December. A fourth crew member was rescued. |
| Mr Humphreys leaves behind his wife Helen, a baby daughter Nina and two stepsons, Calum and Scott. | Mr Humphreys leaves behind his wife Helen, a baby daughter Nina and two stepsons, Calum and Scott. |
| His funeral was held in Finnart St Paul's Church in Greenock. | His funeral was held in Finnart St Paul's Church in Greenock. |
| Mr Humphreys was the last of the crew members recovered from the Clyde. | Mr Humphreys was the last of the crew members recovered from the Clyde. |
| His wife said: "I feel it is very fitting that being the skipper he was the last one off the boat." | His wife said: "I feel it is very fitting that being the skipper he was the last one off the boat." |
| Accident inquiry | Accident inquiry |
| Mr and Mrs Humphreys' daughter was christened at Finnart St Paul's Church four months ago. | Mr and Mrs Humphreys' daughter was christened at Finnart St Paul's Church four months ago. |
| Engineer Robert Cameron, 65, from Houston, Renfrewshire, and Eric Blackley, 57, from Gourock, Inverclyde, died after the tug sank while towing a cargo vessel to Glasgow. | Engineer Robert Cameron, 65, from Houston, Renfrewshire, and Eric Blackley, 57, from Gourock, Inverclyde, died after the tug sank while towing a cargo vessel to Glasgow. |
| A fourth man, Brian Aitchison, 37, from Coldingham, was rescued from the water. | A fourth man, Brian Aitchison, 37, from Coldingham, was rescued from the water. |
| Mr Cameron leaves behind his wife Linda, daughters Lorna and Helen and a granddaughter Lucy. | Mr Cameron leaves behind his wife Linda, daughters Lorna and Helen and a granddaughter Lucy. |
| His funeral will be held in Killellan Kirk, Houston, at 1315 GMT on Wednesday. | His funeral will be held in Killellan Kirk, Houston, at 1315 GMT on Wednesday. |
| The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun an inquiry into the accident. | The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun an inquiry into the accident. |
| (ScotFile:News special) MOURNERS PAY TRIBUTE TO TRAGIC SKIPPER By Lucinda Cameron, Scottish Press Association Mourners today paid tribute to "the son that any parent would have been proudto have" at the funeral of the skipper of a tug which sank in the Clyde. Stephen Humphreys, 33, was one of three men who drowned when the Flying Phantomcapsized in heavy fog in the River Clyde on December 19 last year. Around 400 friends, relatives and colleagues packed into Finnart St Paul'sChurch in Greenock for his funeral this afternoon. His coffin was piped into the church followed by two standard bearers from theMerchant Navy. It was followed by his widow Helen carrying the couple's eight-month-olddaughter Nina and his two step-sons Callum, 11 and Scott, six. During the service Rev David Mill told how Mr Humphreys love of boats datedback to his childhood and how on leaving school he joined the small shipstraining group and went on to work for organisations including CaledonianMacBrayne Ferries and the MOD. He repeated the words of Mr Humphreys' mother Margaret who described the33-year-old as "the son that any parent would have been proud to have". He was remembered as a family man who loved his job and life on the water. He also read tribute messages passed to him by people who had known MrHumphreys, who lived in Greenock. One friend had written a touching letter to his baby daughter Nina to give hermemories of her father when she grows up. It read: "When I think of your dad I think of an easygoing, funny, honest,hardworking man who was one of the most generous people I have known." Another message read: "One of the best friends, skippers, colleagues, fathersand husbands as well that this world has ever seen. It was an honour andprivilege to know him." Mr Mills also praised Mr Humphreys' wife Helen for the way she had dealt withher loss. Mr Humphreys' body was the last of the three to be found and was recovered fromthe water on December 23. After his body was found she said: "I feel that it is very fitting that beingthe skipper he was the last one off the boat." Mr Mills praised her conduct saying: "In the very best sense she has shownherself to be the skipper's wife, concerned not only for her family but for theother families as well." The service had a slight maritime feel and the last hymn was Will Your AnchorHold. Outside the church door a wreath in the shape of an anchor was propped againstthe wall. After the service the coffin was driven away in a hearse topped with wreathsfor the cremation at Greenock Crematorium. end | |
| 071557 JAN 08 |