A WREN found dead in her ship's cabin was the daughter of a shipowner who disappeared at sea with a North-East crew.

Emma Douglas, 29, a Royal Navy engineering officer on HMS Cornwall is believed to have died of natural causes after complaining of feeling unwell on Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday, it emerged that her father, Chris Douglas, was the mate of the MV Marine, which disappeared without trace in the Bay of Biscay in December 1989 after sailing from Liverpool with a cargo of scrap bound for Spain.

Six men died - four of them were from Tyneside.

Mr Douglas recruited the crew through a job centre in South Shields, South Tyneside.

As a result of the tragedy, UK legislation was later tightened to ensure only trained crew could be recruited through job centres.

Yesterday, Emma's mother, Cynthia Douglas, was being comforted by friends at her home in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.