The UK Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has shared an update on Red Sea dive boat accidents.
The MAIB has been notified of three accidents within the last 20 months affecting UK citizens on Egyptian dive boats operating in the Red Sea. These include: Continue reading “MAIB voices “serious concern” over Red Sea dive boat accidents”
At 2115 on 11 February 2023, a fire broke out in the engine room of the roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry Stena Europe while on passage from Rosslare, Ireland, to Fishguard, Wales.
The fire on board ro-ro ferry caused significant damage to the engine room but nobody was injured and there was no damage to the environment. The fire was extinguished by the crew.
Safety issues
• The fire ignited on a main engine when pressurised fuel from a loose fuel pipe connection sprayed onto a high temperature exhaust pipe. Continue reading “MAIB report into fire on board ro-ro ferry”
On the morning of 29 July 2021, the skipper of the UK registered potting vessel Pioneer (NN200) accidently entered the water as the vessel was heading back to its beach standing in Hastings, England. Pioneer’s sole deckhand was unable to pull him back on board and the skipper was later recovered from the water with the help of a rescue helicopter’s winchman and airlifted to hospital, but he could not be revived.
The MAIB investigation found that Pioneer had a low bulwark at its aft deck, which did not prevent the skipper’s fall into the water. At the time of the accident neither the skipper nor deckhand were wearing a personal flotation device, although two were available on board. Continue reading “MAIB report: Man overboard from potting vessel Pioneer with loss of 1 life”
The UK Maritime Accident Investigation Branch has released its preliminary assessment after, hit a barge and breached its hull plating. At 1430 on 22 June 2023, the inland waterways passenger vessel Oceandiva London (see Figure) lost propulsion control and contacted a moored hopper barge at Halfway Reach on the River Thames, London. Oceandiva London was undergoing propulsion trials as part of its Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) survey required for the issue of a Passenger Ship Safety Certificate. The impact damage to Oceandiva London included breaches to its hull plating above the waterline with deformation of decks and structural frames. There were no passengers on board and none of the six crew or thirteen contractors were injured.Oceandiva London’s propulsion and electrical power Continue reading “Passenger vessel Oceandiva London breaches hull plating after loss of propulsion”
It showed the MAIB received 1,592 reports of marine casualties and incidents last year – involving 1,741 vessels.
While the report showed the number of occurrences raised was higher than usual, in other respects it had been a “fairly average year”.
27 recommendations were issued last year with 26 of them accepted and 13 which have already been implemented.
In terms of safety issues involving merchant ships, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Captain Andrew Moll OBE, said two accidents stood out last year. Continue reading “MAIB publishes Annual Report 2023”
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. Continue reading “MAIB report: Two wheelchair users died after wheelyboat capsized”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is urging owners, operators and skippers of fishing vessels fitted with side shell doors to ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessment of watertight integrity.
Argos Georgia was a longline fishing vessel registered in St Helena. The vessel foundered while on passage from Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands to fishing grounds near the island of South Georgia. Of the 27 persons people on board, 13 perished.
The ongoing investigation has found that the shell door in the starboard side of Argos Georgia descended slowly into the fully open position. This allowed significant quantities of water to enter the vessel. Continue reading “MAIB issues safety bulletin after fishing vessel Argos Georgia sinks leaving 13 dead”
At 1149 on 6 October 2022, the pair trawlers Guiding Light and Guiding Star have a collision during a routine fish transfer. Guiding Star’s stern was breached, and flooded. The crew unsuccessfully attempted to pump out the floodwater, and the vessel foundered about an hour later. The eight crew evacuated to a liferaft, which capsized during the accident; five were recovered to Guiding Light and the remaining three were winched to a coastguard rescue helicopter. All crew survived unharmed.
Safety issues
• The fish transfer had not been risk assessed and, during the operation, Guiding Light’s wheelhouse was left unattended, which meant the skipper was not at the navigational controls to prevent the collision. Continue reading “Pair trawlers collision results in flooding and sinking of vessel”
Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has issued its second Safety Digest of 2024 featuring a collection of lessons learned from a variety of the latest marine accidents involving vessels from the merchant, fishing and recreational sectors.
The sole purpose of the Safety Digest is to prevent similar accidents from happening again. The publication examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to or on board UK vessels worldwide, and other vessels in UK territorial waters. It aims to draw the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. Continue reading “UK MAIB Safety Digest 2nd edition 2024”
On 17 April 2023, a crewman on board Equinox Seas was fatally injured when he fell 10m down an open ventilation trunk where a fan had been removed for maintenance by the shipyard.
Safety Issues
– The barrier controls in place in the fan room were insufficient to mitigate the risk of falling from height
– The specific risks associated with the fan removal had not been assessed or mitigated, which put staff at risk from those hazards
– Safety on board Equinox Seas was not effectively managed during the entire stay at the shipyard Continue reading “MAIB report: Fall from height on carrier Equinox Seas kills crewman”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has released a report after an officer had to have his leg amputated following a crush injury. On 16 August 2022, the second officer of the UK registered survey and supply vessel Kommandor Orca sustained crush injuries to his lower left leg while operating one of the rail-mounted deck cranes. His leg became caught in the crane’s rack and pinion traversing mechanism when he moved the crane aft for a lifting operation. A helicopter transferred the second officer to hospital, where his leg required amputation below the knee. Continue reading “MAIB report: Officer’s leg amputated after crane incident”
Poor posture, inadequate seating and a host of other factors can lead to life-changing injuries on RIBs as small craft passenger safety is pulled sharply into focus by recent events in the small craft sector. If the sector’s reputation is to survive accidents like Seadogz, owners and operators need to start owning best practice, controlling the risks and demonstrating that their trips are safe, says MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch). Continue reading “Small craft sector must inform and educate customers of dangers to avoid passenger injury says MAIB”
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