Ireland’s MCIB issued an investigation report on a crew member overboard fatality from the fishing vessel ‘Cu Na Mara’, about 130 nm West of Slea Head, in June 2016. Although the man was wearing a Personal Floatation Device (PFD), the deflation of his PFD was a major impediment to his survival.
The incident
On the 30th June 2016, the vessel ‘FV Cu Na Mara’ commenced fishing for prawns (nephrops) about 130 nm West of Slea Head. The nets were being deployed for the first trawl. At approximately 14.00 hrs the two nets were unwound from the two net drums and trailed astern of the vessel in the water.
In the process of transferring over the attachment of the nets from the net drums to the middle towing winch, one of the crewmembers went over the stern of the vessel and into the water. The Skipper and the other crewmembers responded immediately by bringing the vessel astern to assist the Crewmember in the water. The Crewmember was wearing a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) which inflated.
Crewmember 1 managed to kick off his boots and made strenuous attempts to reach a lifebuoy that was thrown to him, but the sea state and water filled oilskins hampered his efforts and he was not able to reach it. A second lifebuoy was thrown, but at this stage his PFD had deflated, he was in difficulty, and he could not reach that lifebuoy either.
He was relatively quickly recovered from the water by the remaining crew and first aid was administered onboard, but he was deemed to have died at approximately 15.10 hrs.
Probable cause
The coroner’s autopsy report provided to the MCIB states “acute cardio-respiratory failure due to drowning,” as the cause of the death.
*The results of the autopsy are provisional at the time of publication. The determination of the cause of death is a matter for the coroner’s inquest.
Findings
- The task of shooting the nets had been performed innumerable times during the current ownership of the vessel. On each occasion the G-hooks had been unclipped without any significant incident. On this occasion a tipping point was reached where a combination of factors such as stepping up and reaching up proved to be beyond the abilities of Crewmember 1 (the deceased). He got into difficulty and fell over the stern of the vessel.
- Stepping up, either partially or fully, by the crew to achieve the task without the benefit of a personal fall protection system was the practice on board.
- When Crewmember 1 entered the water he was alive and made attempts to reach the first lifebuoy. The deflation of his PFD was a major impediment to his survival. The ensuing rescue attempts by the Skipper and the remaining crew were hampered by a number of factors, such as the sea state, the inability to get to him quickly enough whilst his head was above water, and the inability to get a purchase on his unconscious body and lift him up out of the water and onto the deck.
- No evidence was provided demonstrating that the crew had received the training as required under S.I. No.640 of 2007 Regulation 102 on health and safety matters. S.I. No. 640/2007 – Merchant Shipping (Safety of Fishing Vessels) (15-24 Metres) Regulations 2007 per below:
-“102 (1) Owners shall ensure that their vessels are operated without endangering the safety and health of the crew.
-(2) The crew shall be given training and instructions on health and safety matters on board fishing vessels, and in particular, on accident prevention.”
Recommendations
- The owner/skipper should ensure that safety documentation for the vessel takes into account a risk assessment and hazard analysis in respect of shooting and hauling the nets, and the use of personal fall protection systems by the crew.
- The owner/skipper of the vessel should ensure that all crew are in compliance with the training and instruction on health and safety requirements as set out in S.I. No. 640 of 2007.
Further details may be found herebelow:
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