TWO French judges investigating the sinking of the Breton

trawler Bugaled Breizh and the deaths of her five crewmen off

The Lizard in 2004, have been told that a nuclear submarine

snagging the boat's trawl was the “highly probable cause” of

the tragedy.

But the four-and-a-half-year inquiry is likely to be wound

up this month without the submarine being traced, it emerged

last night.

The two judges, Richard Foltzer and Muriel Corre, were

transferred from their posts in Quimper on Thursday. They are

understood to have already ruled a “no case to answer” verdict

despite being convinced the culprit was a submarine taking part

in war games.

A third investigator, prosecutor Anna Kayanakis, who put the

tragedy down to a “fishing accident”, left Brittany for a new

job in the south of France some months ago.

Deputy prosecutor David Jobard said last night that the

investigation “is likely to be closed in August”.

Bugaled Breizh owner Michel Douce called the British and

French navies “cowards and liars” and cited delays by the Royal

Navy in providing investigators crucial submarine documents on

war games which had been taking place off The Lizard on the

day.

Earlier, Christian Bergot, lawyer for the families of the

lost fishermen, revealed details of a submarine expert's report

commissioned by the judges which blamed a nuclear attack

submarine of a type belonging to just four countries – Britain,

France, Russia and the US.

The report, by expert Dominique Salles, described how only a

nuclear attack submarine would have had the speed and power to

drag the 250-ton trawler down in under 80 seconds after

snagging her trawl cables.

“The noise of the trawler being dragged down and towed for

more than a minute would have been heard by the crew of the

submarine”, said the report.

Rémy Gloaguen, brother of one of the lost fishermen, spoke

yesterday of his disappointment that the investigation was to

be closed without a guilty party traced.

“Some of the families have said they may travel to England

to make a public appeal. You never know, it may cause a

submarine crewman to tell the truth,” he said.