Capsize and sinking of prawn trawler Constancy with loss of 1 life

Location: 10 miles off Buckie, in the Moray Firth, Scotland.

Accident Investigation Report: Constancy

Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened, actions taken and subsequent recommendations:

constancy.pdf (794.74 kb)

Summary

On 30 July 1998 the 9.8m wooden prawn trawler Constancy (BCK 371) capsized while turning. The vessel was fishing 10 miles north of Buckie, in the Moray Firth, Scotland at the time of the accident. Both the skipper and crewman escaped from the vessel however the crewman was unable to board the liferaft. His body was later recovered by another fishing vessel.

Safety Issues

  • snagging of the fishing gear during the vessels turn

Recommendations

One recommendation is made and is directed at MCA. It concerns the provision of liferaft equipment lists to purchasers and hirers of liferafts, equipped to non-MCA standards, and which are intended to be carried on fishing vessels.

This report was published in 1999.

Updates to this page

Published 23 January 2015