Tag Archives: Marine Accident Investigation Branch
F/V Nicola Faith: Fishing vessel to be raised – MAIB investigation update
Since locating and identifying Nicola Faith in April, the MAIB has gathered and analysed dive survey data from the vessel. We now intend to raise the vessel so that an in-depth examination and stability analysis can be carried out. >click to read< Missing Conwy fishing boat to be raised from sea bed – Familes of the crew members have been told about the plans to lift the vessel from the sea bed off the Welsh coast. “The vessel will be raised using a specially designed barge crane that has been chartered by MAIB,” >click to read< 12:34
Tributes to Cove Fisherman Peter Gray, 64, who died at sea ‘doing the job he loved’
Lifeboat crews from Dunbar and St Abbs, a rescue helicopter from Prestwick and local fishing vessels joined the search for Peter Gray, of Cove, south-east of Dunbar. The 64-year-old dad-of-two and grandfather-of-two was located in the sea,,, His wife of 42 years Betty was very grateful to all the fishermen and volunteers who had joined the search for her husband. She told the Courier “he loved a holiday in the sun” but, as a fisherman, had “no time for hobbies”. Rev Dr. Suzie Fletcher said, “Peter Gray was one of the fifth generation of his family to fish from Cove, and had been out to sea doing the job he loved day in and day out for decades. His loss has left his family, the local community, many circles of fishermen and countless friends in shock. >click to read< 20:06
F/V Nicola Faith: Family of fishermen who died on sunken vessel donate £11,500 to RNLI
Family members of Carl McGrath, the skipper of Nicola Faith presented the gift to staff at Llandudno Station. The £11,500 was raised by family and friends of the three crew members who all died when the boat went missing off the coast of Conwy in January. The family met some of the volunteers who helped search for Carl and his two crewmates Ross Ballantine and Alan Minard. Llandudno RNLI volunteers, along with Rhyl, Conwy, Beaumaris and Hoylake RNLI crews collectively spent over 90 hours searching for the missing vessel. On Wednesday 5 May, Carl’s mum Julie, sister Lauren and partner Jake Cox said a personal thank you to the crew whilst handing over the donation. >video, photos, click to read< 10:17
Home and Dry: Safety campaign to get fishing crews ‘Home and Dry’ following deaths in Brixham
A safety campaign has begun to reduce the ‘alarming’ number of deaths among fishing crews. It comes as more than 10% of fatalities in the fishing industry over the last decade have happened in the last six months. In the past six months, seven fishermen across the country, including two on a trawler from Brixham, have lost their lives at sea. Six of the men who died ended up in the water. Now the industry’s safety group is launching the Home and Dry campaign aims to help those on vessels stay safe by educating them on practices they can use to reduce risks. >Video, click to read< 08:12 Shetland fisherman’s death highlighted in new man overboard prevention campaign – The lives lost included Shetland fisherman Joseph Lacaste, 45, who died while working on the trawler Copious in February. >click to read<
F/V Nicola Faith: Expert says fishermen could have been saved
David Mearns, a chartered marine scientist, historical researcher, author, and expedition leader of deep ocean projects, confirmed the Nicola Faith has been found less than two miles out to sea in Colwyn Bay. Mr Means, owner and director of Blue Water Recoveries, said he and his team found the wreck using high-resolution solar imaging as as part of a privately-funded effort. The ship was later formally identified by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and North Wales Police divers. But speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Mr Means outlined “alarming” findings and suggested there is “no reason” the boat was not found sooner, and that there is a “possibility” the men could have been saved. >click to read< 22:50
F/V Nicola Faith: The wreck discovered by the MAIB last week is confirmed as the missing fishing vessel
Today, MAIB inspectors attended the site of the wreck,1.9 nautical miles off Rhos Point, to identify the vessel. They were assisted by North Wales Police Underwater Search Team who undertook a comprehensive survey on behalf of the MAIB. As well as identifying the vessel, the survey gathered video evidence and information that will help inform our investigation and assist in understanding the reasons the vessel sank. After all the evidence has been reviewed, including imagery from the dive team, a decision will be made regarding the next steps to be taken as part of the ongoing investigation. >click to read< 09:31
MAIB Report – Flooding and sinking of Fishing Trawler Ocean Quest
On 18 August 2019 and about 70 miles north-east of Fraserburgh, the UK registered trawler, Ocean Quest, sank as a result of an engine room flood. The source of the flood has not been determined; however, it was almost certainly a result of shell plating or hull weld failure. The crew tackled the flood with fixed and portable pumps, but were not able to get the situation under control. The alarm was raised as soon as the flood was discovered, the crew were well prepared for the abandonment and all were rescued safely by a coastguard helicopter. >click to read< 12:32
F/V Nicola Faith: Crowd burst into applause fisherman’s funeral cortege travels through Welsh town
The Nicola Faith fishing vessel disappeared near Conwy on January 27. Its three crewmen, skipper Carl McGrath, 34, Ross Ballantine, 39, and Alan Minard, 20, were onboard at the time. An extensive search for the trio and their vessel was launched and the bodies of the three men were discovered at different coastal locations in England on three consecutive days in March. On Thursday, the funeral of Mr McGrath was held at St Mary’s Church in Conwy with restricted numbers due to ongoing Covid-19 guidelines, but many of his family and friends were able to pay tribute as his funeral cortege made its way through the town. >click to read< 07:38
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
