On 8 June 2022, two wheelchair users lost their lives when a wheelyboat capsized on Roadford Lake, Devon, England. The wheelchair users were residents from a local care home who were participating in a day trip on the lake. When the wheelyboat capsized, the residents who were strapped into their wheelchairs were dragged to the bottom of the lake and drowned. The MAIB investigation found that the wheelyboat had not been correctly maintained, allowing water to leak into the boat and making it unstable, which led to its capsize. The bow ramp seals were not subjected to regular inspection before use and had degraded, compromising the watertight integrity of the wheelyboat. The activity centre had not fully identified the risks or understood the unique needs of operating the wheelyboat with wheelchair users.
Safety Issues:
• the watertight integrity of the bow ramp seal had degraded
• the wheelyboat capsized when water accumulated on the deck
• the risks of strapping wheelchair users in their chairs were neither considered nor mitigated
• both the activity centre and the care home assumed the other had knowledge about managing the activity for disabled people.
Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Andrew Moll OBE, said: “Trips on the wheelyboat were beneficial for the continuing wellbeing and therapy of the residents of the care home; however, no-one had taken time to properly consider the risks associated with taking the wheelchair users afloat, either before the accident or on the day itself.
“The condition of the wheelyboat had been allowed to deteriorate so water could enter it, and on the day no-one recognised the implications of carrying vulnerable people who were strapped into heavy motorised wheelchairs around a lake in an open boat. In short, no-one had their eye on the risk, and tragically Alison Tilsley and Alex Wood lost their lives.
“As well as the catalogue of failings highlighted by the report, the investigation has also uncovered a worrying lack of oversight which must be seen as an impetus for urgent action. Charitable activities such as this seem to fall into a grey zone with no organisation or authority in a position of oversight. This meant that no-one stepped in to question what had become custom and practice. Addressing this is not simple and may only be possible with a change in the law; however, the current situation is not something that should be tolerated.”
Download the report: Investigation of capsize of recreational craft Wheelyboat 123
