A MEMBER of Irvine Watersports Club fears it will take someone to die before Irvine Harbour is made safe.

Patrick Harrigan claims boat owners’ lives are at risk because of the lack of safety navigation lights and signage which has led to people crashing into the rocks.

He told the Times: “Not everyone that goes out the harbour is experienced with boats.

“The problem is that for safety reasons there is supposed to be a certain amount of lights at the harbour entry but there are none.

“There have already been two boats totally wrecked this year.

“A guy had to be rescued from under the water, and the second-time a guy got fined for an oil spillage because of the lack of warning lights and starboard markers.

“If anyone was to come into this harbour in a yacht even for a safe haven there are no safety lights. Nothing telling them where the rocks are. The only way you can use this harbour is if you know where you are going.

“The yellow marker cross has been hit by a boat and bent over so it is very difficult to see, it’s almost under the water.

“It is going to take somebody to die or drown in a boat before anything is done about this because the harbour is not safe.”

Mr Harrigan is now pleading with the harbour’s owners NPL Estates to take action before it is too late.

He has contacted North Ayrshire Council and local politicians but doesn’t feel that he is being listened to.

He said: “I have contacted local politicians and the council and they are trying to bury it.

“The harbourside in general is extremely dangerous. If kids climb over they could easily fall in.”

He continued: “It has gotten worse because people are crashing boats as they can’t read any signs or see safety lights to get into the harbour.

“We are not asking for a major development we just want some safety lights and we feel the owners are ignoring us.

“The entrance is rotted with no warning lights, broken stands, and it’s a mess and it is dangerous to get into the harbour.

“I am worried about one of my friends dying for the sake of a few lights. They should not be charging fees for the pontoon if the harbour is not safe to come in.”

NPL Estates were contacted by the Times and said they are carrying out a “periodic risk assessment of the Harbour in conjunction with the Waves group and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency following a period of consultation”.

North Ayrshire Council were also contacted but at time of writing had not responded.