Tugboat crewman drowned in the River Thames
A tugboat crewman drowned in the River Thames in a towing operation where no one had been nominated to be in charge, according to a report.
Darren Lacey, 40, was on the tug Chiefton when it capsized and sunk after colliding with the crane barge it was towing in Greenwich, south London.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the collision happened after the barge hit a buoy.
It said action to avoid the collision was “inappropriate and taken too late”.
“Chiefton’s lack of reserve power and short tow ropes then made collision with the barge inevitable,” said the report.
The Chiefton was pulling the barge, which had two pilots aboard, while another tug, Steven B, was pushing it.
The MAIB said Mr Lacey, an engineer and deckhand from Gravesend, was not wearing a lifejacket when the Chiefton sunk on 12 August last year.
‘Limited experience’
The Chiefton’s skipper and mate were rescued from the river.
“All of those involved had very limited experience with the specific tug configuration used.
“No one had been nominated to be in overall charge of the towing operation.”
The MAIB added the Port of London’s tow-specific risk assessment and passage plan focused on the bridge transit part of the journey to Gravesend in Kent, and did not cover the subsequent downriver tow.
The authority made a series of safety recommendations to various organisations, including the Port of London Authority, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the owner of Chiefton.
The MAIB has also published safety instructions for tug operators
Source: BBC News
