An investigation found risk assessments were not being followed on Wilaya after a deckhand was dragged overboard a potting and died off the Welsh coast last year.
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) published a safety flyer along with the report saying potting is one of the most hazardous fishing methods. The accident on board Wilaya was the sixth fatality on board UK potting vessels in the 20 months from October 2023 to May 2025, highlighting the vulnerability of fishermen operating in the sector.
The report said there was a long list of similar accidents involving fishermen who have lost their lives after becoming entangled in shooting gear highlights that potting is an inherently dangerous fishing method. The associated hazards require effective risk management to ensure safety and protect crews. Nearly half of the fatal potting vessel MOBs between 2013 and 2023 were due to a lack of physical separation between the gear and crew.
What happened
On the morning of 1 May 2025, the 9.34m potting vessel Wilaya departed the Port of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales in fine conditions for a day’s fishing. On board were the skipper, a deckhand and a passenger.
At about 1330, the deckhand was dragged overboard after his foot became caught in a bight of rope while shooting a string of pots. The deckhand was wearing a personal flotation device (PFD); however, its buoyancy was ineffective against the weight of the fishing gear and he was quickly dragged beneath the surface. Wilaya’s skipper and passenger reacted promptly and recovered the deckhand on board, but he was unresponsive.
The deckhand was transferred to a Royal National Lifeboat Institution all-weather lifeboat, the crew of which continued to provide emergency first aid. The lifeboat arrived at Milford Haven at about 1457 and the deckhand was pronounced deceased at 1540. His cause of death was later recorded as immersion in water.
The investigation found that Wilaya’s risk assessments were not being followed, and that the deckhand entered the water after becoming entangled in the running backline while repositioning the end weight attached to the pots. Wilaya used a self-shooting system to deploy its pots. However, due to the size, number, weight and stack height of the pots and the need to reposition the end weight, a deckhand was required to manually downstack each pot. Consequently, the system did not truly function as a self-shooting system and provide separation from the gear for the crew.
Safety lessons
- there was no separation from the running gear for the crew working on deck, which put them at risk of entanglement, harm and injury
- the crew did not adhere to the vessel’s documented control measures during shooting operations which exposed the crew to a risk of harm and injury
- the risk assessments had not identified all of the hazards associated with vessel operations, several control measures were not followed and others were not achievable.
Read the full report: MAIB 12-2026 - Wilaya
Download the safety flyer: MAIB - Do you stay separated from your running fishing gear?