MAIB Safety Digest 2003 — Fishing edition

Fishing 2003 Safety Digest

Contents Marine Accident Investigation Branch ........................................................................4 CHIEF INSPECTORS FOREWORD .........................................................................6 CASE 1 Near Misses Involving Fishing Vessels .........................................................7 Narrative 1................................................................................................................................7 Narrative 2................................................................................................................................7 The Lessons..............................................................................................................................7 CASE 2 Fatality on Board Fishing Vessel....................................................................9 Narrative...................................................................................................................................9 The Lessons..............................................................................................................................9 Footnote..................................................................................................................................10 CASE 3 For Appearances Sake .................................................................................11 Narrative.................................................................................................................................11 The Lessons............................................................................................................................12 Footnote..................................................................................................................................12 CASE 4 Take Your Lifejacket and Phone with you ................................................13 Narrative.................................................................................................................................13 The Lessons............................................................................................................................13 CASE 5 Poor Watchkeeping on Fishing Vessel.........................................................14 Narrative.................................................................................................................................14 The Lessons............................................................................................................................14 CASE 6 Tiredness Can Kill.........................................................................................16 Narrative.................................................................................................................................16 The Lessons............................................................................................................................16 Footnote..................................................................................................................................17 CASE 7 Grounding of a Fishing Vessel .....................................................................18 Narrative.................................................................................................................................18 The Lessons............................................................................................................................18 Footnote..................................................................................................................................19 CASE 8 Collision in the Dover Strait .........................................................................20 Narrative.................................................................................................................................20

The Lessons............................................................................................................................21 Footnote..................................................................................................................................22 CASE 9 EPIRB Saves Two Lives................................................................................23 Narrative.................................................................................................................................23 The Lessons............................................................................................................................23 Footnote..................................................................................................................................24 CASE 10 The Thinking Man! .....................................................................................25 Narrative 1..............................................................................................................................25 Narrative 2..............................................................................................................................25 Narrative 3..............................................................................................................................25 The Lessons............................................................................................................................26 CASE 11 I Will if you Wont!.......................................................................................27 Narrative.................................................................................................................................27 The Lessons............................................................................................................................27 CASE 12 He Who Hesitates ........................................................................................29 Narrative.................................................................................................................................29 The Lessons............................................................................................................................29 Footnote..................................................................................................................................30 CASE 13 Ideas for Tackling Flooding........................................................................31 Narrative.................................................................................................................................31 The Lessons............................................................................................................................31 Footnote..................................................................................................................................32 CASE 14 Engine Room Flooding causes Another Fishing Vessel Loss...................33 Narrative.................................................................................................................................33 The Lessons............................................................................................................................33 Footnote..................................................................................................................................34 CASE 15 Fisherman Saved by Lifejacket..................................................................35 Narrative.................................................................................................................................35 The Lessons............................................................................................................................35 CASE 16 See No Vessel, Hear No Vessel! ..................................................................36 Narrative.................................................................................................................................36 The Lessons............................................................................................................................36 CASE 17 Things that go Bump in the Night.............................................................37

Narrative.................................................................................................................................37 The Lessons............................................................................................................................37 CASE 18 A Wooden Vessel Floods and then Sinks...................................................39 Narrative.................................................................................................................................39 The Lessons............................................................................................................................39 CASE 19 Look After Your Tonnage Valves ..............................................................40 Narrative.................................................................................................................................40 The Lessons............................................................................................................................40 CASE 20 Skippers Last-Minute Action Saves Lives.................................................41 Narrative.................................................................................................................................41 The Lessons............................................................................................................................41 CASE 21 No Redundancy! ..........................................................................................42 Narrative.................................................................................................................................42 The Lessons............................................................................................................................42 CASE 22 Collision Between Fishing Vessel and aGeneral Cargo Ship ..................43 Narrative.................................................................................................................................43 The Lessons............................................................................................................................43 CASE 23 Fishing Vessel Capsizes with Loss of Life .................................................44 Narrative.................................................................................................................................44 The Lessons............................................................................................................................44 Statistics ........................................................................................................................46 Fishing Vessel Accident Statistics 1990 2002 .......................................................................46 CHART .........................................................................................................................48 Major Accident Locations ...........................................................................................48 PUBLISHED REPORTS.............................................................................................49 List of fishing vessel accident reports published since 1999 .................................................49 SAFETY DIGEST .................................................................................................................52 GLOSSARY of abbreviations .....................................................................................53 MAIB Safety Digest/Report Request Form ...............................................................54 MAIB PUBLISHED REPORTS - free of charge ..................................................................54

Marine Accident Investigation Branch The Marine Accident Investigation Branch(MAIB) is an independent part of theDepartment for Transport, (DfT) and iscompletely separate from the Maritimeand Coastguard Agency (MCA). The ChiefInspector of Marine Accidents isresponsible to the Secretary of State forTransport. The offices of the Branch arelocated at Carlton House, Carlton Place,Southampton, SO15 2DZ. This Safety Digest draws the attention ofthe marine community to some of thelessons arising from investigations intorecent accidents. It contains facts whichhave been determined up to thetime of issue. This information is published to inform thefishing industry, and the public of thegeneral circumstances of marineaccidents and to draw out the lessons to belearned. The sole purpose of the SafetyDigest is to prevent similar accidentshappening again. The content mustnecessarily be regarded as tentative andsubject to alteration or correction ifadditional evidence becomes available. The articles do not assign fault or blame nor dothey determine liability. The lessons oftenextend beyond the events of the incidentsthemselves to ensure the maximum valuecan be achieved. Extracts can be published without specificpermission providing the source is dulyacknowledged. The Safety Digest is only available from theDepartment for Transport, and can beobtained by applying to the MAIB. Otherpublications are available from the MAIB.

If you wish to report an accident orincident please call our 24 hourreporting line 023 8023 2527. The telephone number for general use is023 8039 5500. The Branch fax number is 023 8023 2459.The e-mail address is maib@dft.gsi.gov.uk Safety Digests are available on theInternet: www.maib.gov.uk Extract from The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 1999 The fundamental purpose of investigating an accident under theseRegulations is to determine its circumstances and the cause with the aim ofimproving the safety of life at sea and the avoidance of accidents in thefuture. It is not the purpose to apportion liability, nor, except so far as isnecessary to achieve the fundamental purpose, to apportion blame.

CHIEF INSPECTORS FOREWORD This digest has one simple aim: to sharewith everyone in the fishing worldsome of the key lessons that we havelearned recently from the tragicaccidents we have investigated. Sadly, the number of accidents, anddeaths, shows no sign of reducing. Inthe first 2 months of this year alone, 6British fishing vessels have been lost atsea, and 4 British fishermen have died.I believe it is essential that wecontinue to find out why theseaccidents are happening, and pass thelessons on to everyone involved in theindustry. Awareness of the dangers weidentify may just help save otherfishermen's lives. The role of the MAIB is to get right tothe bottom of what happened, not justto look at the superficial "obvious"causes. Our role is not to look at blame,fault or liability, and we most certainlydo not pass on any information we havebeen given to the police or any otherprosecution/enforcement organisations. I have only recently taken over as thehead of the Marine AccidentInvestigation Branch (MAIB). I havespent most of the last 34 years at sea,but recognise that I have littleexperience of fishing, and so amwoefully ignorant of the pressuresunder which you all work. I plan tomeet as large a cross section of youas I possibly can over the next yearor so, to try to get someunderstanding of your work and itsvery real difficulties. My wish is forthe MAIB to work with the fishingindustry to find sensible andaffordable ways to reduce the currentrate of accidents. I hope that you find the digestinteresting; we do try to write thearticles in a readable style. We do notnow identify the names of the vesselsinvolved, which I hope will makepeople less concerned aboutreporting incidents to us. Please takea moment to think about these cases- it might just save your life.

Stephen Meyer Chief Inspector ofMarine Accidents

CASE 1 Near Misses Involving Fishing Vessels Narrative 1 Having landed her catch, a fishing vesselwas returning to the fishing grounds. It wasdark, visibility was good, the sea moderate,and the wind south-south-west force 5. Onleaving harbour, she was steering 135° at aspeed of 7 knots and displaying sidelights,stern light and a masthead light. When still within 2 miles of her port ofdeparture, the skipper detected a radarcontact 2 miles on his port bow, and shortlyafterwards sighted masthead and starboardsidelights along the same bearing. Heestimated this vessel, a general cargo ship,was on a southerly course at about 8.5knots, and that a risk of collision existed. By the time the two vessels closed to within1 mile, the cargo vessel had failed to take any action as the give-way vessel. Thisprompted the skipper to call her on VHFradio, channel 16. Unable to get a response,he altered to starboard and eventually tookall way off to prevent a collision. Radiocontact was finally established when thevessels were very close and the merchantvessels OOW felt it was too late for him toalter course or stop. The OOW, who wasalone on the bridge, had been working a 6hour watch routine, and did not detect thefishing vessel by radar, or see her visually,until she was at close range.

Narrative 2 A stern trawler was south of Plymouth,towing her gear on a course of 180° atabout 3 knots. She was displaying anappropriate shape to indicate that she wasfishing. It was a clear sunny day, visibilitywas good and the sea was slight. There waslittle wind. A tanker was sighted about 6miles on the port beam, on a westerlycourse and making good about 13 knots.She was on a steady bearing. As the tanker closed, the trawlers skipperbecame increasingly concerned and, whenthe range had closed to about 1 mile, triedcalling her on VHF channel 16. There wasno reply, and the skipper was forced toincrease to maximum speed to pass aheadof the tanker, leaving it very close astern.Her OOW, who was alone on the bridge atthe time, did not recollect being in a closequarterssituation, or hearing any calls onVHF radio.

The Lessons These two instances are representative ofmany situations which will be familiar toanyone with extensive experience ofwatchkeeping. You find yourself the stand-onvessel, and detect another vessel on your portbow or beam closing on a steady bearing. Thequestions you find yourself asking are has heseen me? and is he going to give way? Toooften we find the answer to the first questionis No because a proper lookout is not beingkept and No to the second because he isunaware of your presence. 1. Keeping a good lookout and complyingwith the Rules of the Road are not justgood seamanship requirements, but arealso imperative to preventing very seriousaccidents. Had both fishing vessel skippersnot maintained a proper lookout, ormanoeuvred to prevent a collision, theMAIB would probably be investigating twoserious accidents rather than near misses.

2. There are no new lessons aboutmaintaining a proper and effectivelookout. The requirements are well known.Watchkeepers must be alert, look out ofthe windows, use binoculars, monitor theradar on an appropriate range scale, andlisten for sound signals and to the VHFradio. The factors which prevent keeping agood lookout will vary from vessel tovessel, but three reasons seem to featureover and over again. Too oftenwatchkeepers use the opportunity of aseemingly quiet period to do somethingother than keep an efficient watch. Itcould be anything from progressingpaperwork to reading a magazine. Thesecond reason is being distracted bysomething such as monitoring GMDSS,making a lengthy telephone call, orspending an unusually long time at thechart table. And the third is the tendencyfor either a tired or very boredwatchkeeper to fall asleep. If you areguilty of succumbing to any of these, youcould be endangering peoples lives. 3. If you feel you are under pressure to dosomething that will prevent you keepingan efficient lookout, or you are too tiredto do it properly, tell someone. The MAIBreceives a number of reports from peoplein such a predicament, and each one istreated in total confidence. It provides theBranch with the ammunition to dosomething about it. 4. When the OOW is busy, a dedicated visuallookout is an invaluable safety net. Whenall is quiet, he is a second pair of eyes and ears, and helps to keep a tired OOW alert.You are required to have a dedicatedlookout at night. 5. VHF radio is convenient, but it relies on thewatchkeeper in the other vesselmonitoring the appropriate channel,understanding what is being said, andbothering to reply. Not surprisingly, manycalls go unanswered. But there are realdangers to using VHF when the identity ofthe other vessel is unknown. There are anumber of recorded incidents when eitherthe misidentification of the other ship, ora lack of understanding, has contributedto the subsequent collision or incident. 6. If the situation allows, and you need tomake your presence known to the othervessel use the wake up signal by whistleor horn, and by flashing light. The signal isrequired by the Rules of the Road and,although an inattentive OOW may not seeor hear it, somebody else on board theother vessel might. Dont be shy; its inyour interest to be seen. 7. Navigation lights are no different to carheadlights. They accumulate grime andsalt in time. An occasional wipe doeswonders to improve their effectiveness.

CASE 2 Fatality on Board Fishing Vessel Narrative After a weeks break, a beam scalloper,sailed from an east coast Scottish port inthe early hours of the morning to returnto the fishing grounds. Later that day, andwhile shooting her gear for the fourthtime, one of the deckhands moved from aposition of safety and was struck on thehead by a towing bar. The sea conditionswere rough, and the bar swung in boardbecause of the vessels movement. It willnever be known why the deckhand madethe move, but the blow killed him. The deceased was an experiencedfisherman, but had never sailed on thisvessel before. He had only been onboardfor 14 hours when he died. Safety hats were available, but nobody onboard wore them.

The Lessons This tragic accident will provoke a numberof reactions among fishermen. Everyonewill have the deepest possible sympathyfor the family of the deceased. Many will,rightly, want to know what happened andwhether anything could have been doneto prevent it. Others will say it was one ofthose things which happen from time totime in this most hazardous ofoccupations. The reality is that similaraccidents have occurred in the past andare likely to happen again unless measuresare taken to prevent them. Much can be done once peopleunderstand that accidents are rarelycaused by a single event. It isnt just badweather, a particularly high wave, anunfortunate swing of the towing bar, orthat the victim was new to the vessel.Accidents happen through a combinationof things, and it is important to learn fromthe lessons of this and similar accidents inthe past. 1. No two vessels are the same. Variationsin equipment, procedures, the way askipper likes things to be done or eventhe vessels motion in a seaway, willdiffer. When joining a vessel for thefirst time, nothing should be taken forgranted. Make sure you are aware ofthe various hazards and safetyprecautions in force. Pay particularattention to anything that swings fromaloft such as towing bars and blocks,and make a mental note of how they can be avoided at all times. It is unlikelythings will be identical to your lastvessel and you must not hesitate to askquestions if you are unsure of anyprocedures. Doing this does notquestion your ability or experience; itsimply highlights your commonsense. 2. Every year a number of fishermen areeither seriously injured, or killed, bybeing hit on the head. Someone, sooneror later, wants to know whether theconsequences could have beenprevented had the victim been wearinga safety helmet. The answer is no oneknows, but even if wearing one couldhave prevented it, most people wouldbe very reluctant to try it for a numberof reasons. They are uncomfortable, getin the way, restrict vision, allow waterto drip down the back of the neck andnobody else wears one. So otherworkers have said in the past. But now,wearing safety helmets has becomesecond nature to those working onmerchant ships or in the offshore sector.It is now so much in the culture that tonot wear one feels uncomfortable. Thefact remains they provide very goodprotection, reduce injury and save life.Wear a safety helmet.

3. When hauling or shooting, orconducting any operation on deck, keepan eye on your colleagues and do nothesitate to raise the alarm or stop aprocedure if you see somethingdangerous developing. Safety is theresponsibility of everyone on board. 4. When accidents happen at sea, expertmedical assistance can often be faraway, and the well-being of a casualtyis in the hands of others on board. Inthis case, although the injuries weresevere and the efforts of the first-aidtrainedcrew were sadly unsuccessful,the need for fishermen to complete themandatory first-aid course was onceagain highlighted.

Footnote In the past five years the MAIB hasreceived a number of reports from certainsectors of the fishing industry stating thatthe wearing of safety helmets is on theincrease. In nearly every instance, thecatalyst for change was the death of afriend and colleague through a headinjury incurred at sea. The sadness is thatit takes such an event to make peoplechange the habits of a lifetime. A farhappier solution is to do something aboutit before you become the victim. This incident was the subject of a fullMAIB investigation. A comprehensivereport, giving details of the causes, ananalysis, and recommendations waspublished in August 2001.

CASE 3 For Appearances Sake Narrative Following a 12 hour search for fish, alarge, 92.04m stern trawler, with a crewof 34 was preparing to shoot her nets inthe English Channel, about 17 milessouth of the Isle of Wight. Four of her deck crew went aft to shootthe nets under the control of the fishingskipper who was in the wheelhouse. Hewas positioned at the winch controlsoverlooking the aft working deck.Shooting began. Two of the crewattached the head line transponder andthen moved to two small pound areas atthe stern from where they were to attachtowing wires to the nets wings. The man on the port side attached hiswire, but then noticed his colleague wasnot where he had expected to see him, inthe starboard pound. Thinking he hadgone to the toilet, he moved across tostarboard to attach the towing wire. Atalmost the same time the fishing skipperalso noticed the man was missing. Hewent aft to investigate. When they failed to find the missingcrewman they realised he must have goneoverboard. It was dark and the wind wasforce 4 to 5. A Pan Pan message was broadcast, andthe Solent coastguard initiated a searchand rescue operation. The vessel recoveredher nets and joined the search. Ahelicopter, a lifeboat and several merchantand fishing vessels also took part. Thecrewman was not found, but his selfinflatinglifejacket was recovered. This wasfound inflated with its light illuminatedand the buckle on its harness fastened. Nobody saw him go over the side, but thecircumstances suggest he was standing inthe starboard pound to connect thetowing wire to the net. A feature of thepound is its proximity to the stern roller,which rotates as the nets are paid out. It isimpossible to say what happened, but thepossibility exists that he was somehowtaken overboard by the rotating roller. The crewman had been wearing ordinaryclothing: a hard hat and the inflatablelifejacket. Only the lifejacket was foundand recovered. Once again, it is impossibleto reconstruct exactly what happened, buta properly secured lifejacket should nothave become detached. The evidencesuggests it was not being worn correctly,and it is likely the victim slipped thelifejacket over his head without passingthe harness around his waist. When heentered the water the lifejacket slippedoff. The particularly sad feature was therelative ease with which the lifejacket wassubsequently seen, but nothing was foundof the man.

The Lessons 1. The aft boundary of the two sternpounds is the stern roller. Because thisis able to rotate freely it cannot servethe same purpose as a guardrail orbulwark. Without a barrier betweenthe pound and the roller, crew caneasily come into contact with theroller. If it is turning, it might then dragthem overboard. Stern rollers should beviewed in the same way as any rotatingmachinery. They are dangerous andmust be guarded if personnel are likelyto be very close by. 2. The crew generally recognised theimportance of wearing a lifejacketwhile working on deck. The victim,however, apparently failed to don hisproperly, and did no more than slip itover his head. Perhaps he thought itwas unnecessary as he was onlyexpecting to be on deck for a fewminutes. To the casual onlooker itwould appear as if he was wearing one. 3. The value of a lifejacket is entirelydependent on it being worn properly andsecured correctly. A snug fitting model isboth comfortable