Person overboard accidents from scallop dredger Korenbloem, stern trawler Osprey III and creeler Optik with loss of 3 lives
Locations: Korenbloem in the Dover Strait, England/Optik 8 miles SE of Arbroath, Scotland/Osprey III 5.5 nm north of Macduff, Scotland.
Accident Investigation Report 6/2010
Combined investigation report into three marine accidents including what happened, safety lessons and recommendations made.
(1,795.47 kb)
Summary
This report contains details of investigations into fatal man overboard accidents from the fishing vessels Korenbloem, Osprey III and Optik during the month of November 2009. The results of the investigations, detailed below, were combined to illustrate concern over safety in this important sector of the UK’s fishing industry.
- One crew fell overboard from scallop dredger Korenbloem while vessel was preparing to shoot scalloping gear, in the Dover Strait, England on 6 November 2009
- One crew man dragged overboard while shooting creels from fishing vessel Optik while 8 miles SE of Arbroath, Scotland on 18 November 2009
- One crew man dragged overboard by net from stern trawler Osprey III while 5.5 nm north of Macduff, Scotland on 11 November 2009
Safety Issues
Issues such as working practices, the use of personal protective equipment when working on deck and the logistics and planning required to recover men from the sea are common to all three investigations.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2010/112 has been made to The Department for Transport which recommends recognition of the consistent and disproportionate rate of fatalities in the UK fishing industry and take urgent action to develop a comprehensive, timely and properly resourced plan to reduce that rate to a level commensurate with other UK occupations.
This report was published on 19 May 2010.