Bahamas Maritime Authority experiences of a person overboard incident.
What occurred
On the night of 28 March 2024, the Bahamas flagged coastal basic cargo vessel was outbound from Groveport, UK. After rigging the pilot ladder, one seafarer returned to the lodging while the opposite stayed on deck to smoke a cigarette. Round fifteen minutes later the grasp known as the seafarer on the hand-held radio to say that the pilot was able to disembark however received no reply. Having known as a number of instances, the grasp went to the messroom and instigated a search on deck.
At 22:50 the grasp knowledgeable the pilot that they’d a possible man overboard at which level the pilot requested the grasp to lift the alarm, knowledgeable vessel site visitors companies and stopped engines. The pilot boat, which was about to gather a pilot from the vessel forward, shortly began a search they usually have been joined by a number of air and sea belongings.
The search continued by way of the night time however the seafarer’s physique was discovered, washed ashore, subsequent morning.
Why it occurred
A autopsy indicated that the sufferer died on account of acute myocardial ischaemia, ischaemic coronary heart illness and extreme coronary artery atheroma. There have been no indicators of drowning.
However the reason for demise, the sufferer was on deck, at the hours of darkness and alone, in shut proximity to a gap within the ship’s rails with no fall safety or private floatation gadget. There have been no lifejackets appropriate for work onboard the vessel and no administrative limitations that associated to the duty.
Conclusions
A autopsy indicated that the sufferer died on account of acute myocardial ischaemia, ischaemic coronary heart illness and extreme coronary artery atheroma. This underlying well being situation had not been recognized as a part of the seafarer’s medical examination.
However, the sufferer was on deck, at the hours of darkness and alone, in shut proximity to a gap within the ship’s rails with no fall safety or private floatation gadget.
The crew have been usually uncovered to pointless threat when rigging or retrieving the pilot ladder – the work was not thought of to be “work over the facet” so no controls have been in place: there have been no lifejackets appropriate for work onboard the vessel and no administrative limitations that associated to the duty.
In keeping with necessities, the gate within the ship’s rails opened inwards however its design meant that it needed to stay open when the pilot ladder was in place – growing publicity to threat.
While it might not have had an impression on the end result of the casualty, offering the pilot (and subsequently Humber VTS) with the inaccurate info that the person overboard was sporting a lifejacket had a detrimental impression on the modelling of the search operation. Equally, using the time and site of the preliminary report meant that the proper datum was not established for the search.
While it might not have had an impression on the end result of the casualty, Humber lifeboat was ready within the lock at Grimsby for over an hour after mobilising. Humber lifeboat’s availability could also be extra restricted than recognized on the idea of tidal predictions alone.
Motion taken and Suggestions
The Ship Administration has
Supplied vessels in its fleet with inflatable lifejackets.
Reviewed the design of openings in ship’s rails all through its fleet. The gate on Fri Sea has been altered to permit it to be closed when the pilot ladder is rigged.
Added anti-slip coating to the decks between pilot ladder and lodging.
Revised its process for rigging of the pilot ladder (together with obligatory use of inflatable lifejackets) and issued a fleet round explaining the adjustments.
Contemplating the actions taken, there aren’t any additional suggestions.
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Supply: BMA
