THE sequence of events surrounding last weekend's seizure of the biggest cocaine haul in the history of the State became clearer last night when a yachtsman described his role to The Irish Times.
The man, one of a three member crew, had been racing a yacht in Cork Harbour on Saturday. During the afternoon, while making for East Ferry, the yacht passed the Sea Mist at anchor near Aghada.
The yachtsman said a 27 knot wind was blowing at the time with gusts of up to 31 knots from the south west, and any yachtsman or sailor would know that the eastern part of the harbour was the wrong place to be. "That seemed suspicious enough but when we got to within 20 feet of the vessel, we discovered that its name was written in tiny letters, black on brown," he said.
It was not flying an ensign, which would be its national flag. It was not flying a burgee, which would be its club flag. It had no courtesy flag which would be the flag of the country it was visiting. And it was not flying a `Q' flag which would show that it was seeking customs clearance.
"All these factors suggested to us that something was wrong, the yachtsman said.
He said that most offshore sailors in Cork Harbour had been asked by Customs to be on the look out for suspicious craft in and around the south west coast. They were also asked not give details of any movements they might consider to be suspicious over the radio.
For this reason, he said, he and his crew went ashore and talked to locals about the Sea Mist. When they found locals knew nothing about the boat, they asked that gardai be contacted.