Tag Archives: Marine Accident Investigation Branch
Sunken vessel found in sea search thought to be missing F/V Nicola Faith
A sunken vessel has been found during a sea search for a fishing boat which vanished with three of its crew. The bodies of Carl McGrath, 34, Ross Ballantine 39, and Alan Minard, 20, were later recovered after the Nicola Faith went missing off the coast of Colwyn Bay on the evening of January 27. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said on Tuesday that a sunken boat had been found around two miles off the coast in Colwyn Bay. It is thought to be the missing fishing vessel. >click to read< 09:53
Inquests of fishermen who vanished off North Wales coast hear when last contact was made with crew – Today, Senior Coroner for North Wales East and Central, John Gittins, opened their inquests in Ruthin. >click to read<
Three crew members missing after life raft from F/V Nicola Faith washed ashore
The raft was found off the coast of Kirkcudbrightshire in southwest Scotland by the HM Coastguard yesterday. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has positively identified the raft as being from the Nicola Faith, which went missing with its three crew members off the coast of Colwyn Bay in North Wales on January 27. “The search for the vessel, which is being co-ordinated by the MAIB, is continuing. >click to read< 08:37
Pescado fishing boat which sank off Cornwall ‘was hit by submarine in cover-up’
Thirty years ago, a Plymouth-registered beam trawler left port for what was supposed to be a routine fishing trip. After having heard nothing from the Pescado since it departed, on February 25, 1991, a search began for the ship on March 5. The wreck of the Pescado was eventually found 13 miles off Dodman Point on the south coast of Cornwall. The official line remains from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) in 1998: the boat tilted, flooded and sank as a result of inexperienced crew and faulty equipment. But the ship’s owner, Alan Ayres, who passed away on June 22, 2020, aged 81, had for decades insisted that a collision with a British Navy submarine caused it to sink, and that there has been a cover-up. photos, >click to read< 13:30
Investigation launched following the disappearance of a fishing vessel and its three crew.
A major search for Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine and skipper Carl McGrath was called off on Friday, January 29 after two days. Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is now looking into the incident. Under its current probes, vessel ‘Nicola Faith’ is listed. Investigation notes say: “Loss of UK registered fishing vessel along with its three crew members in the area of Rhos-On-Sea, Conwy County, North Wales.” >click to read< 07:46
Confined Space: Trawler engineer died after asphyxiation by gas, says Marine Accident Investigation Branch
An engineer on a fishing trawler died after he was asphyxiated by gas that leaked into a refrigerated saltwater tank where he was working without any safety precautions, an investigation has found. Three other crew members were also “nearly overcome” when they tried to rescue second engineer William Ironside on the trawler Sunbeam in Fraserburgh on August 14 2018. A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report found the fatal accident happened because Mr Ironside entered the tank, which was an enclosed space, “without any of the safety precautions normally associated with such an activity”. >click to read< 09:29
Official inquiry launched into the sinking of the F/V Joanna C, an exclusion zone has been set
An exclusion zone has been set up around the wrecked Brixham scalloper as part of the investigation. An official government investigation into the sinking of the Brixham fishing boat Joanna C has begun. The 45-foot scalloper went down early in the morning on November 21. The MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) investigates all maritime accidents in UK waters and accidents involving UK registered ships worldwide. It sets out to establish the cause of accidents, to promote awareness of risks and prevent recurrence. >click to read< 08:42
A dramatic early morning rescue operation mounted as Fife fishing boat hits the rocks
Volunteer RNLI crews from Anstruther were able to rescue two men from the Carisma before she was wrecked after hitting the rocky shore near Pittemweem shortly after 6:15am. The loss of the vessel is a massive blow to her owner and skipper Kirk Doig, who launched Carisma Seafoods in August when the Covid-10 pandemic ended most demand from fish markets as the country felt the full impact of lockdown on the hospitality industry. >click to read< 15:55
Scotland: Deep concern over failure to use PFD’s after fishing industry deaths
A safety warning has been issued to the fishing industry about the mandatory wearing of lifejackets (PFD’s) as concerns grow about deaths caused by not wearing them, despite moves to supply them free to Scottish boats. New figures show that six of the 12 fishermen who have died at sea in 2018 and 2019 were not wearing lifejackets,, The MAIB has said deaths in the water from those not wearing PFD was of “great concern” and said that “embedding behavioural change” could half the fatality rate in the fishing industry. It comes a year after the end of a scheme to supply PFDs to fishermen on Scottish-registered boats, with the intention of increasing the usage of a flotation garment while working on the open deck. Some 3,500 personal flotation devices (PFDs) were supplied,,, >click to read< 08:55
‘Home and Dry’: Fishing crews urged to turn the tide on industry’s safety record
The campaign comes as many fishing crews across the UK are returning to sea following weeks of lockdown and challenging market conditions to sell their catch. Created with support from the fishing industry, it focuses on the importance of community and home for those who make a living from catching fish. It shines a light on the pride and professionalism of the industry as a way to get vital out messages about good safety at sea. Dave Driver, a skipper featured in the campaign, says: “I’ve been a fisherman for most of my life, and as a vessel owner I am constantly thinking about my safety and the safety of my crew. >click to read< 07:30
Report says skipper died after wheelhouse hatch fall
The skipper of a Fraserburgh-registered boat died when he fell through the wheelhouse hatch after three hours drinking in a pub, a report has said. Andrew Hay, 56, died after the incident on the Artemis in Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland, in April last year. He suffered severe head injuries after falling to the deck below. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said Mr Hay was more than four times the legal alcohol limit for professional seafarers while on duty. >click to read< 00:01
Nancy Glen tragedy: New crane contributed to sinking which killed two fishermen
Experts from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the horror sinking of the prawn trawler happened on its last trawl of the day near her home port. The report, published today, also details the desperate battle for survival by John Miller, who tried to save his crewmates Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk in vain. As a result of the double fatality, the MAIB has made recommendations to introduce stability criteria for small vessels across the industry – which have been accepted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). >click to read<09:56
Nancy Glen report and flyer published – Capsize and sinking of a prawn trawler in Lower Loch Fyne, Scotland with the loss of 2 lives. Published 30 May 2019 From: Marine Accident Investigation Branch >click to read<
Tributes to north-east trawlerman who died on board his vessel
A north-east trawler skipper who died on board his vessel is believed to have suffered a heart attack before falling down stairs. Emergency crews were called to the Fraserburgh-registered Artemis as it sat in Kilkeel harbour in Northern Ireland on Monday afternoon. But 56-year-old Andrew Hay, from St Fergus, could not be saved. He was a father-of-two and it is understood he was the skipper of the vessel. His wife, Sandra, was too upset to speak about the tragedy yesterday. A source said the boat was heading for the waters off Newlyn in Cornwall to fish for prawns when engine problems forced them to stop in Kilkeel. >click to read<13:42
Toxic gas accident on Scottish fishing boat nearly resulted in multiple deaths
A fatal accident on-board a fishing boat in an Aberdeenshire harbour nearly resulted in multiple deaths, an investigation has found. A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has made safety recommendations after the “tragic accident” in Fraserburgh. William Ironside, 52, died, while several other men fell ill while working on the Sunbeam in August. The MAIB report contains recommendations for the boat’s owners related to entering and working in refrigerated saltwater (RSW) tanks used for storing fish onboard. >click to read<10:56
Death of a fisherman – lifejackets now mandatory for company crewmen
A fatal accident inquiry at Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that Kirkudbright based West Coast Sea Products had made the wearing of lifejackets mandatory for its crewmen after the death of 34-year-old Scott Rennie from Newton Stewart. Mr Rennie fell from the scallop dredger King Challenger as he tried to unhook damaged gear on the ‘tipping deck’ of the 21metre long boat on 23 June 2016. In what Sheriff Ian Cruickshank called an “incredibly brave” effort to save Mr Rennie, fellow crewman Darren Rennie, who is no relation, dived into the sea to get a line around his unconscious crew mate. >click to read<10:01
BREAKING: Man dead and others treated after Fraserburgh harbour incident
The emergency services were called at about 14:00 after reports of a group of men falling ill . One man was pronounced dead a short time later. Four other men are being treated in hospital. Details have not been released but they are not believed to be in a life-threatening condition. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have been informed. >click to read<13:23
Fishing boat to be raised from Loch Fyne to give families ‘closure’
Families of two dead fishermen have been given hope that they will be able to bury their loved ones after ministers announced they will look at salvaging the wreck.,,, The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had been surveying the site to decide if the wreck could be raised but said it could not. But the Scottish Government has said it will now work with salvage specialists and the families of the crewmen to support efforts to retrieve the bodies of the missing fishermen. >click to read< 13:54
Seabed search in Loch Fyne for lost fishermen
Fresh efforts have been made to locate the bodies of two fishermen lost in a sinking on Loch Fyne. Their vessel, the Nancy Glen, sank on 18 January. One member of the crew was rescued by a passing boat but Przemek Krawczyk and Duncan MacDougall, who both lived in Tarbert, were lost. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) were surveying the site to decide if the wreck can be raised. A candle was lit for the lost men at a ceremony in Tarbert on Saturday. Elaine Whyte of the Clyde Fishermen’s Association said the situation had been hard on the families of the fishermen. >click to read< 22:20
UNACCEPTABLE! No plans to raise Nancy Glen after Loch Fyne sinking
Marine investigators do not plan to raise the wreck of a ship which sunk in Loch Fyne, with two men thought to be on-board. A fundraising campaign to raise the Nancy Glen from the bottom of the sea loch and recover the bodies of Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk has raised more than £150,000.,, In The National yesterday, former First Minister Alex Salmond also called on the UK Government to stop being so “heartless” and raise the vessel.“It is unacceptable in terms of humanity that fishermen should be left aboard sunken vessels within eyesight of the shore. >click here to read< 15:46
The Fight to Raise the Sapphire – ‘We proved everybody wrong and we got our boys home’
When four crewmen perished on the Peterhead fishing boat Sapphire 20 years ago, relatives began a campaign to have their bodies recovered from inside the sunken trawler. The 76-tonne boat sank in the North Sea, 12 miles off the Aberdeenshire coast, on 1 October 1997. The UK government refused to finance the recovery of the bodies, 270ft (90m) below the surface, saying it was policy not to bring back the bodies of those lost at sea. Shipping minister Glenda Jackson and Prime Minister Tony Blair were criticised for the decision at the time. The families of the dead men began an appeal to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to fund the operation. click here to read the story 10:28
Sapphire tragedy impact being felt 20 years later – “You’re thinking to yourself: ‘There but for the grace of God . . .” “But you never get used to these tragedies or the impact they have on so many different people. click here to read the story
A Sad Update: Fishermen found clinging to capsized boat after major search and rescue operation
Fishermen have been found clinging to the hull of an upturned boat after a major search and rescue operation was launched last night. Three lifeboats and a rescue helicopter were launched on Tuesday evening in a search for an overdue commercial fishing vessel. The RNLI lifeboats from Plymouth, Salcombe and Looe were joined by the coastguard rescue helicopter from Newquay in the search which began at about 10pm.,,, Fishing boat FV Solstice was reported missing having sailed from Plymouth. click here to read the story 11:46
Man dies as fishing boat capsizes off Devon coast – A fisherman who went missing after his boat capsized off the Devon coast has died, investigators have confirmed. His body was recovered from the Solstice after two men clinging to the hull were rescued, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said. sadly, click here to read the story 20:13
Boat owner admits safety breaches following death of Northumberland fishermen
The owner of a boat on which two Northumberland fishermen died of carbon monoxide poisoning has pleaded guilty to breaching safety laws. Mark Arries, 26, and Edward Ide, 21, were found dead on the fishing vessel Eshcol as it was moored in Whitby harbour in January 2014. The pair were using the grill of a gas cooker to warm the boat overnight as they slept. A trial is being held at Leeds Crown Court to determine if boat owner Timothy Bowman-Davies was aware that the crew were using the cooker as a heating source. Bowman-Davies, 44, from Haverford West, Pembrokeshire, admitted failing to ensure that the ship was operated safely and that work equipment was maintained efficiently. click here to read the story 13:39
Marine Accident Investigation Branch – Fishermen ‘worked to exhaustion’ before death in sinking
Martin Johnstone, Christopher Morrison and Paul Alliston died when the Louise went down in the Outer Hebrides in April last year. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found a series of mistakes contributed to the sinking of the boat, while the emergency response was delayed by almost an hour. The Louisa’s four-man crew were asleep when the creel boat began taking on water at anchor off Mingulay. They had worked 20-hour shifts for four days before the sinking, sleeping between stringing creels and eating snacks as they went. An alarm intended to warn them about flooding had been disabled and they did not wake up until the Louisa was already sinking rapidly. The men abandoned the boat but were unable to inflate their faulty life raft. click here to read the story 20:56
Owner of fire-stricken fishing vessel hits out at safety report findings
The owner of a fishing boat destroyed by a fire has accused safety chiefs of criticising his crew for saving their own lives by escaping from the vessel. Three trawlermen on the Ardent II scrambled to the safety of the Peterhead quay only after one spotted smoke when he got up at 5am to use the toilet. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) launched an investigation into the incident and published its findings yesterday. The MAIB found the crew might have saved the 131ft vessel if they had fought the flames rather than leaping ashore. click here to read the story 12:14
‘Don’t worry, I can do it’ – Tragic final words of experienced fisherman who drowned at sea
A Fisherman with ten years experience downed at sea while trying to untangle a line after telling crew members “don’t worry I can do it”. Darren Brown was swept away while trying to pull free a whelk pot and his body was never found, despite an eight-hour search by lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter. The 37-year-old was lost in the 13C waters in June. A report into his death found a lifebuoy which could have helped to save his life was not “readily available”. On June 9 this year, deckhand Darren and his crewmates were on board the whelk boat, ‘Our Sarah Jane’, which had set sail from Shoreham, West Sussex, in good conditions. Just before midday a fishing line attached to one of the whelk pots became caught in the propeller, tying the boat to the seabed. The skipper radioed for help, but Darren said “I’ll be alright. I can do it, don’t worry” before jumping overboard with a knife in his hand. Read the rest of the story here 14:20
Remains of fisherman missing at sea for a year found – inquest to be held next year
The remains of a missing fisherman were found a year after his vessel sank four miles off Rame Head. The scalloper JMT – skippered by 22-year-old Michael Hill and crewed by Shane Hooper – sank at around 3pm on July 10, 2015. The body of Mr Hooper, a 33-year-old father of three from Teignmouth, was found in a life belt by the RNLI after an air and sea search. Despite the wreck being lifted from the seabed, the body of Mr Hill, also from Teignmouth was not found. The vessel was owned by Mr Hill’s father, Mickey. Remains of Mr Hill were found by a fishing vessel on July 6 this year. The Herald has learned the vessel, from Falmouth, was trawling in the area of where the JMT went down on July 6 this year. As it trawled for scallops, the crew dredged up debris, including human remains. Read the rest here 14:38
Scottish Fishermen’s Federation opposes compulsory wearing of lifejackets for commercial fishermen.
The MAIB said that the four fishermen who lost their lives during three accidents off Orkney, the Western Isles and Pembrokeshire could all have survived had they been wearing personal floating devices (PFDs). With the loss of nine fishermen at sea so far this year, the MAIB said the rate with which fishermen were losing their lives by drowning was showing no sign of abating. Safety officer for the SFF, Derek Cardno said an industry-led a scheme to supply PFDs to every fisherman in Scotland had a strong uptake. He added: “We are not convinced that making the wearing of a PFD a mandatory requirement will make the sole difference that is required. “We believe it is much better to focus on education and creating a new mind-set among fishermen. Read the rest here 13:53
Marine Accident Investigation Branch: Royal Navy submarine towing trawler endangered fishermen’s lives
A Royal Navy submarine which towed a fishing trawler at speed through the Irish Sea endangered the lives of the crew, inspectors said. The Karen was trailed backwards at seven knots in April 2015 after the sub snagged in its nets 15 miles from Ardglass – one of Northern Ireland’s main fishing ports in the south east. Commanders were unaware of the collision until three hours later after they failed to realise they were passing beneath a fishing vessel with nets rather than a merchant cargo or passenger ship, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report said. Steve Clinch, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: “Eighteen months ago, the actions of the command team of a Royal Navy submarine placed the lives of the crew of the trawler Karen in danger. Read the rest here 20:11
Safety failings on fishing trawler Aquarius led to fisherman’s death
An investigation has revealed that the twin rig trawler, Aquarius was “a poorly run vessel”, issued with 137 deficiencies in the years prior to the death of Nuertey Annang. The Ghanaian-born fisherman, who was 47, died on 17 August 2015 when a rope stopper parted and he was thrown “violently” overboard. The vessel was around two miles east of Aberdeen harbour in Scotland when the incident happened. Despite searches, Annang’s body was never found. A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) identifies that “The skipper and owners of Aquarius consistently prioritised the catching of fish over the safety of the vessel and its crew. This resulted in the promotion of a poor safety culture.” It found that the crew, nor their vessel “had been adequately prepared to deal with such emergency situations.” Read the story here 13:40
More fishermen have lost their lives in 2016 than in whole of 2015
Simon Potten, Head of Safety, Training and Services reacts to the publication of the MAIB’s Annual Report and the steps Seafish are taking to tackle its tragic findings. The publication of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s (MAIB) Annual Report for 2015 provides an opportunity for the fishing industry and all those actively trying to improve fishing safety to take stock of how well we are doing, he said. The two most reliable indicators of fishing safety are the number of fishing vessels lost and, tragically, the number of fishermen lost. In 2015, 13 fishing vessels were lost, representing 0.23% of the fleet. What is more saddening is that more fishermen have lost lives in 2016 already, than in the whole of 2015, which we revealed last month. This is unacceptable and it is vital that the industry as a whole do more to improve the safety record of the fishing industry. Read the story here 07:41
Marine Accident Investigation Branch reveals shocking UK fishermen death toll
The UK’s fishing fleet is suffering from one of its deadliest periods in a decade with more deaths recorded here than in Alaskan waters where reality TV show the ‘Deadliest Catch’ is filmed. Nine fishermen’s lives have been lost at sea in the first six months of this year in six different incidents, a worryingly high figure for this stage in the year and there is concern this number could rise. Now more dangerous than Alaska, recognised for its treacherous waters as part of the reality television series ‘Deadliest Catch’, the UK has seen an increase of 29% on 2015 full year figures (seven fishermen lost their lives), as reported by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) today in its 2015 Annual Report. The MAIB’s Annual Report for 2015 comes as Seafish also warns that the summer months (June to September) are when commercial fishermen are more likely to have a non fatal accident which leads to major injury when working at sea. A common misperception is that these accidents are more likely to happen during bad weather during the winter months. Read the rest here 13:18
