UK MAIB accident report No19/2013
UK MAIB issued report (Report No 19/2013) on the investigation of the fatal man overboard from the trawlerVidar off Milford Haven on 28 January 2013.
On 28 January 2013, a deckhand was washed overboard from the Belgium registered beam trawler Vidar in very rough seas. The deckhand was recovered from the water about 11 minutes later but he could not be revived.
Factors that contributed to the accidentinclude:
- The environmental conditions and thevessel’s design made it hazardousfor the crew to work on the opendeck, but the risk was not properlyassessed.
- The crew had great difficulty in recovering the deceased from the water because the vessel did not carry any dedicated means of recovering a man overboard and the crew had not completed any onboard man overboard drills
- The deceaseds chances of survival were reduced by cold water shock and by not wearing a lifejacket.
Factual Information
The Belgian beamtrawler Vidar was returning to Milford Haven at theend of a 5-day fishing trip. The vessel was on anortherly heading towards Milford Haven, Wales. The autopilot was engaged and Vidarwas making good a course of 014 at a speed of11 knots. The wind was gusting up to 50 knotsfrom the south-south-west and the sea swell was5m from the south-west. The tidal stream wassetting to the east at 0.7 knots. To help stabiliseVidar’s movement in the very rough seas, thevessel’s derricks had been lowered to an angle ofapproximately 80 from the vertical.
The skipper was in the wheelhouse finalising bothpaper-based and electronic versions of the vessel’scatch records. Meanwhile, the mate, engineer,two able seamen (AB) and an ordinary seaman(OS) were on the main deck sorting the catchand repairing the trawl gear. A trainee was alsoon board, but the skipper had sent him inside theaccommodation due to the adverse conditions;waves were breaking over the gunwales andrunning down the walkways either side of thedeckhouse. The deck crew were wearing oilskins,except the engineer who was wearing a one-piecethermal over-suit. None of the crew was wearing alifejacket.
When Vidar was about 5.7nm south ofSaint Ann’s Head, the mate left themain deck and went to the wheelhouse. He toldthe skipper that the conditions were too dangerousfor the crew to work on the deck. The skipperimmediately opened the centre wheelhousewindow and shouted to the crew below to returnto the accommodation for a coffee until the vesselwas in calmer waters.
In response, the two ABs, one of whom was LucDe Craemer, put their tools away, then walkedaft along the starboard side (shown in the photo below) of the main deck inorder to climb the stairway to the boatdeck and access the accommodation through thewheelhouse. As the two men walked between thedeckhouse and the starboard gunwale, a wavehit the vessel on the port quarter and Vidar rolledheavily to starboard. The starboard gunwale wasimmersed under the sea and a large volume ofswirling water engulfed the walkway. Luc reachedout for a handhold on the deckhouse door (see the photo below) while the second AB, who was just behind Luc grabbed the deckhouse handrail. Luc and theAB were rapidly lifted off their feet by in-rushingwater. The AB was able to maintain his grip onthe handrail but Luc was sweptoverboard into the sea.
Starboard Walkway (Image Credit: UK MAIB)
Conclusions
- Luc was swept overboard as Vidar rolled heavily to starboard and a large volume of water came over the gunwale and into the starboard walkway by the deckhouse.
- The risks to the crew on deck caused by the environmental conditions and the vessels low freeboard were not properly assessed. The work being undertaken was not urgent and could have waited until the vessel was in more sheltered waters.
- The crew responded quickly to the emergency but had great difficulty in recovering Luc from the water. Consequently, valuable time was lost and two of the vessels crew put themselves at risk.
- Vidar did not carry any dedicated means of recovering a man overboard, and the crew had not completed any onboard manoverboard drills.
- Lucs chances of survival were reduced by cold water shock and because he was not wearing a lifejacket. Lifejackets were available on board but were not worn by any of the crew.
- Luc had recently taken methadone and cannabis, but the extent to which this affected his decision-making abilities or influenced his actions is not known.
For more information, please click at UK MAIB Report No.19/2013
