HOPES of a thorough investigation of the wreck of a British trawler which took the lives of several North-East seamen were dashed yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott refused to sanction a new underwater expedition to the wreck of the Gaul, on which 36 crew members perished, saying a manned mission would be too dangerous.

However, Mr Prescott did not rule out the use of a small remotely-operated vehicle which could take photographs of the wreck that saw six North-East men perish.

His views came in a letter to Mr Justice Steel, Wreck Commissioner for the reopened investigation into the loss of the Hull-registered ship. The commissioner last month recommended a manned dive to the wreck.

The Gaul sank 80 miles off the coast of Norway in February 1974 and a subsequent investigation said it capsized and sunk in heavy seas. Since then however, rumours have persisted that the ship was involved in espionage and was sunk by the Russians.

Mr Prescott said: "It is not acceptable that further lives should be put at risk investigat-ing the tragic loss of the ship."

Christine Marshall, whose brother James Wales perished on the boat, said: "I would like to know whether my brother was on that ship or not - then we can call it a grave.

"They should continue looking until they find proof one way or the other."