Why the New Flame sank.

The National Geographic channel broadcast a fascinating documentary filmed off Gibraltar during the removal of the wreck of the New Flame.

This ship ran aground about a year before the Fedra after a collision with a tanker.

The programme provides rivetting insight into the dirty, dangerous and difficult work of salvage companies. If you like ships, it’s really worth seeing.

The New Flame incident should not have happened. The collision came about because of a number of factors, including the lack of formal cooperation between the port of Gibraltar and nearby Algeciras, in Spain.

It’s not me that says this, but the experts. The official accident investigation report was published by the Gibraltar Maritime Administration just last week.

Here’s the story I did for the List.