On 1 June 2022, the UK registered stern trawler Piedras capsized and sank following an uncontrolled ingress of seawater in the engine room. The skipper of Piedras gave the order to abandon ship, but the abandonment was hampered as one of its two liferafts failed to function correctly. However, the second liferaft was successfully deployed and used by the 11 crew members who were all rescued uninjured.
Safety issues
– The crew of Piedras did not have an effective flood action plan as recommended by the Fishermen’s Safety Guide Continue reading “MAIB Report: Flooding, capsize and sinking of stern trawler Piedras”
On 7 June 2023, a passenger on a sea safari rigid inflatable boat (RIB) suffered a spinal injury that left them paralysed from the waist downwards. Twelve passengers had boarded the RIB and, once it was clear of the jetty, the two crew gave them a safety briefing and instruction on the wearing of lifejackets. The RIB then proceeded out to sea and was increasing speed in choppy sea conditions when it encountered a steep-sided wave. The boat fell off the wave and slammed violently into the trough, dislodging the passenger from a seat at the forward end of the boat. 
At 0918 on 4 August 2020, the liquefied petroleum gas/ethylene carrier Moritz Schulte suffered an engine room fire while discharging a cargo of ethylene alongside the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The newly promoted third engineer, who was working on an auxiliary engine fuel filter, had not effectively isolated the fuel system and both he and an adjacent auxiliary engine’s hot exhaust were sprayed with fuel under pressure. The fuel spray penetrated the exhaust insulation and ignited.