A final report from the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) revealed the safety failures that led to an incident on board the World Prize bulk carrier last year.
What happened
On 14 October 2025, the bosun on the Isle of Man registered bulk carrier World Prize died when he fell from the main deck while the crew were preparing the pilot ladder following the vessel’s departure from Rönnskär, Sweden.
The Swedish pilot boat Pilot 753 SE was a short distance away, waiting to collect two pilots from World Prize. The pilot boat’s crew saw the bosun fall to the water and tried to recover him, but he sank beneath the surface during their attempt. He was recovered from the seabed the following day.
Safety issues
- The unsafe procedure used when rigging the pilot ladder on board World Prize had become normalised practice.
- Crewmembers working near an area of unguarded deck edge were not equipped with the appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent them falling or arrest any fall should they do so.
- The risk mitigations in the permit to work that was used to manage safety on board World Prize were not strictly adhered to.
- The local supervision of the rigging of the pilot ladder on World Prize was ineffective in ensuring it was conducted in a safe manner, and no-one present intervened to stop the unsafe work as it progressed.
- The evidence indicated that the safety climate on board World Prize resulted in an emphasis on the documentation of compliance rather than the effective management of risk.
- The suitability and lack of familiarity with equipment and training in recovery procedures on board the pilot boat reduced the capability of the crew to recover an unconscious person from the water.
Recommendations
In view of the actions already taken, no recommendations have been made in this report.
Download the full report: MAIB 16-2026 – World Prize