After reading the texts and exchanging the information about the causes of the accident, do your best to describe the disaster using the facts from the three texts.

UNIT 2. MAIB Accident Reports

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to or on board UK ships worldwide, and other ships in UK territorial waters. The objective of MAIB accident investigations is to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident with a view[55] to preserve life and avoid accidents in the future. They analyse the relevant issues and make recommendations aimed at preventing similar accidents in the future. The lessons learnt can be found in a variety of MAIB publications: Safety Bulletins,Safety Digests,Safety Studies and others.

TheSafety Digest draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. The purpose of the Safety Digest is to prevent similar accidents happening again.

Below you can find an example of a typical description of the accident (narrative) and the lessons drawn from it.

Text 1. Seaman lost while waiting for pilot

Safety Digest 01/00

Case 6

I. Read the narrative.

Narrative

In the early hours of a November morning, the fully laden 42,259 gt Panamanian registered container vessel Ambassador Bridge was inbound to the English Channel, and had closed the south Devon coast to embark a pilot off Brixham.

In preparing to embark the pilot at the port side pilot station situated some 4 m above the waterline, a seaman was detailed off[56] to rig the pilot ladder and stand by to receive him. He made a radio check with the bridge when he arrived, but when the bridge tried to contact him again as the pilot boat approached, there was no reply. An officer was sent down to investigate.

The chief officer found the pilot door wide open, the ladder unrigged, water sloshing around the station deck, but no sign of the seaman detailed off to prepare the ladder for embarkation. The body of a man, later identified as the deceased[57] seaman, was recovered from the sea some four hours later. He was not wearing a lifejacket.

II. Discussion

1. Have you ever taken part in embarkation of the pilot? Do you consider the operation dangerous?

2. What violations of safety procedures can you observe in this narrative?

3. What lessons can be drawn from this accident?

Now read the conclusions made by the MAIB.

The Lessons

1. Rigging a pilot ladder is a potentially dangerous operation. It can occur in any conditions; in the dark, with the ship rolling, and will at some stage involve opening a side door, or a bulwark opening. Unless the height of the embarkation station above the waterline puts it well clear of the effects of the sea, water can be shipped.

2. Anyone being sent down to rig a ladder or hoist, should be briefed[58] by those on watch about the expected conditions.

3. Because of the risks involved rigging a pilot ladder in circumstances such as this, more than one person should be assigned to the task. One should be an experienced seaman, probably an officer.

4. Anybody working in the vicinity of an open door or rail should wear
a lifejacket.

Text 2. Look out or lose out

Safety Digest 01/08

Case 17

I. Read the narrative.

Narrative

On a dark winter's evening, with good visibility and calm seas, two vessels underway off the south coast of England were in collision, even though each had seen the other 30 minutes earlier. As a result of the accident, the fishermen lost over 2 weeks' income at a time when the catches had been excellent.

The two vessels involved were a small commercial vessel and a fishing vessel. The commercial vessel observed the fishing vessel on its starboard bow, and was thus the give way vessel. However, after only a cursory[59] glance the assumption was made that the fishing vessel would in fact pass clear to starboard. The vessel was equipped with a combined track plotter/radar set and
a young, inexperienced deckhand had just taken the wheel and was steering by reference to the track plotter. Thus, the radar was not in use and no distance off the fishing vessel was obtained. The skipper initially remained in the vicinity of the wheelhouse to supervise the deckhand. However, assuming everything to be in order he then decided to go below to make a drink. Due to the layout of the wheelhouse, the skipper was unable to see out of the forward windows once he had left the wheel position, and he therefore had not rechecked the position of the fishing vessel before going below.

While the skipper was below, the deckhand saw the fishing vessel coming very close on the starboard side, and he called out for assistance. The skipper returned to the wheelhouse, but only had time to stop the engines before
a collision occurred.

On the fishing vessel, during the time leading up to the collision, the crew of three were preparing to haul the trawl; everyone was on deck for this task. The vessel's floodlights were all switched on. At the start of the operation the skipper, who was on the foredeck, glanced around and saw the navigation lights of the other vessel. He assumed, incorrectly, that this was another fishing vessel returning to its home port, and he did not look for the vessel again. During recovery and stowage of the trawl net the fishing vessel maintained a relatively steady course and speed which meant that they were on a collision course. With the net safely stowed, the skipper returned to the wheelhouse and increased to full speed on the engine. Unfortunately, he did this without looking out, and thus failed to see the other vessel very close on the port bow.

The collision occurred within a minute of the skipper returning to the wheelhouse. As a result of the collision, the fishing boat suffered extensive damage to its bow area and the repairs took more than 2 weeks; this represented a significant loss of income for the skipper and crew at a time when the catches had been particularly good. The commercial vessel was also damaged by the collision, and was off charter for a day.

II. Discussion

1. Analyze the situation on the merchant ship. Find false steps taken by the skipper. What wrong did the deckhand do?

2. Now describe the wrong actions taken by the skipper of the fishing ship.

3. Make conclusions and draw the lessons from this narrative.

Turn to page … for lessons made by MAIB.