Two bodies found in Whitby Harbour

The boat, where the men were found in their beds, is one of a party of vessels visiting Whitby from Milford Haven in South Wales.

But it has been suggested that the boat was crewed by men from Amble in Northumberland.

It is believed they had left an oven ring burning throughout the night to provide extra heat on the boat.

A small market had been held at the Pier Road fish market early this morning, with no idea of the tragedy that had struck the vessel, moored just next to the building.

The vessel had been berthed beside the market building to allow it to be refuelled, and it is only when the fuel tanker arrived that the bodies were discovered.

Darren Butcher of Whitby Fish Market said: “As I got here there was shouting and they were trying to wake them up.

“Then at about 9.45am when the other crew were here, they must have thought ‘hey up, where’s these two lads?’

“They’ve gone aboard, kicked the door in and obviously found them there.”

The vessel has a crew of three people, with another man opting to sleep on a different vessel last night, a decision which appears to have saved his life.

The vessels are visiting Whitby to exploit the scallop shoals which are found in abundance off the coastline. The boats would normally have been at sea, had poor weather not forced them to remain in the harbour.

Police said the deaths are currently unexplained, there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances and no one else is being sought in connection with the incident.

The Health and Safety Executive and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch have been informed of the deaths.