Marine / Wheelhouse left unattended by skipper before collision, investigation finds
THE SKIPPER of a trawler which collided with its sister vessel had left the wheelhouse because he was “excited to view” a “quality catch”, according to an accident report.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found the collision between Peterhead-based pair trawlers Guiding Star and Guiding Light in October 2022 occurred because the wheelhouse of the latter boat had been left unattended.
The Guiding Star’s stern was breached in the 6 October crash, 33 nautical miles south east of Fair Isle, and her eight crew had to evacuate to a liferaft as the boat foundered.
Five were taken aboard the Guiding Light, while the other three were winched to safety by a coastguard rescue helicopter and taken to mainland Shetland.
The investigation found the two boats collided during a routine fish transfer, which relied on the two boats being kept apart.
The MAIB said though it was “not unusual” for the wheelhouse of the Guiding Light to be left unattended for short periods, the skipper would normally manoeuvre her well clear of her partner vessel before leaving.
“On this occasion, the skipper knew that the fish hold would be laden with a quality catch and was excited to view it,” it said.
“Moreover, this catch completed several days of intensive fishing, and the prospect of heading home after two consecutive trips was overwhelming.
“A combination of illness, fatigue, and heightened stress levels meant the skipper did not have the cognitive resources to remain focused at a critical time”.
This led the skipper to make a decision that left them “unable to intervene to prevent the collision,” it found.
The investigation also established that the crew were unaware of the potential consequences of flooding and had not been fully prepared for a flooding emergency.
The incident occurred at the end of an intensive six-day fishing trip at fishing grounds southeast of Fair Isle.
MAIB said the two skippers had a short radio call to discuss the catch, before the skipper of the Guiding Light went on deck to view it.
“The two vessels continued to close together as they pitched and surged in the rough sea,” it said.
“Moments later, at 11.49am and with no one at the navigational controls, Guiding Light’s stem hit and breached Guiding Star’s stern.”
The water initially trickled in through but the flow increased after about ten minutes, and a “Mayday” call was transmitted at 12.04pm from the Guiding Star.
In its conclusions, MAIB found the fish transfer operation had “not been risk assessed”.
• It said Guiding Star’s crew were unfamiliar with the vessel’s survivability and had neither assessed the risks posed by flooding nor developed appropriate procedures.
• “The lifejackets and immersion suits on board Guiding Star were stored in crew cabins, rendering them inaccessible before abandonment because they were located inside a flooded compartment,” it found.
The MAIB has since issued a safety flyer to the fishing industry highlighting the lessons to be learned from this accident.
It has also recommended that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency ensures the consequences of flooding on fishing vessels are highlighted appropriately.
It said surveyors should ensure that crew preparedness for a flooding emergency is checked and that the crew are aware of the actions to take.
Peter and J. Johnstone Limited, which owns the two vessels, was also recommended to ensure the wheelhouse is not left unattended “and the impact of fishing operations on the navigational watch is evaluated”.
It should also ensure skippers are familiar with their vessel’s survivability and understand and practise the actions to take in the event of flooding during regular flooding drills, the MAIB said.
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