Exhaustion combined with ineffective fall prevention measures led to a fatal man overboard incident on crab potting vessel Amadeus (TH7). The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report into the incident. They have also published a safety flyer to the fishing industry about the dangers of pot hauling and the need for effective fall prevention measures, including fatigue management.
What happened
At about 0009 on 13 December 2023, a deckhand on the UK registered crab potting vessel Amadeus fell overboard while recovering crab pots in rough seas in the German Bight, North Sea. Despite immediate recovery attempts, the deckhand became unresponsive within minutes in cold water and could not be recovered. A major search and rescue operation was launched but was unsuccessful in locating the deckhand.
Safety issues
- The pot hauling method required crew to lean over the vessel’s side in an unstable posture, creating a significant risk of falling overboard.
- No effective fall prevention measures were in place during pot hauling operations.
- The casualty was rapidly incapacitated in cold water and, without a personal flotation device, survivability was significantly reduced.
- The vessel was unprepared for a man overboard emergency; drills had not been practised and recovery arrangements were not ready for immediate use.
- The crew’s working pattern resulted in significant fatigue, and existing work and rest rules did not prevent this risk from becoming embedded in routine operations.
- Safety management arrangements and regulatory assurance processes did not ensure that risks were effectively identified, controlled or monitored.
Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Rob Loder, said: “This accident must not be dismissed as yet another fatal man overboard from a fishing vessel. In the blink of an eye, a young man lost his life doing a task many in the industry would consider routine – but there was nothing routine about the physical toll it took. After weeks of demanding work and inadequate rest, he was hauling heavy pots in rough winter seas, repeatedly leaning over the vessel’s side in an exhausting and unstable task, until one violent lurch was enough to send him overboard.
“Exhaustion must not become simply part of the job. This accident is a stark reminder that, without effective safeguards, this could happen to any crew member.”
Recommendations
Safety recommendations have been made to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to improve manual handling guidance, strengthen the management of fishermen’s working time and fatigue risk, extend fatigue protections more consistently to all fishermen, mandate proportionate safety management systems for fishing vessels of 15m length overall and above, and strengthen survey, inspection and enforcement processes.
Safety recommendations have also been made to the vessel’s operating company to improve man overboard preparedness, assess and reduce the manual handling risks associated with pot hauling, establish verifiable arrangements for managing crew work and rest hours, and implement a structured safety management system to support safe working practices on board.
Download the PDF: MAIB 13-2026 – Amadeus