Catalogue description Transport Ministries: Lord Donaldson's Inquiry into the Loss of MV Derbyshire , LDI Series Files

In 1994 the International Transport Workers' Federation funded an underwater search to locate the MV Derbyshire. The survey was successful, and it was found at a depth of 4200 metres. The Department of Transport (DoT) appointed Lord Donaldson of Lymington to carry out an assessment as to what further steps could be taken to obtain evidence as to the cause of the loss, the cost of taking such steps and what benefit to ship safety could be secured if the cause of the loss were established.

Lord Donaldson was assisted by naval architects Mr R Williams, Mr R Torchio and Professor D Faulkner sitting as assessors and reported in December 1995. Support to the Inquiry was provided by the International Shipping Policy Division of DoT.

An earlier inquiry under Mr G R A Darling with Dr B Baxter, Mr J Bunnis and Captain J Murray sitting as assessors, reporting in 1989 had been able to make only tentative conclusions due to the absence of wreckage.