Accident Reports

The Bahamas Maritime Authority has concluded an investigation after an electrical cadet died of probable mechanical (positional) asphyxia after trying to exit an access space on board a passenger ship.

On 21 January 2025, an electrical cadet on board Bahamas flagged passenger ship, Grandeur of the Seas, went into an access space to troubleshoot a level transmitter for a bilge water settling tank. He attempted to exit the space but lost his footing on a ladder he placed outside, and became stuck in a suffocating position. Continue reading “Electrical cadet died of asphyxia, BMA investigation concludes”

Owners and operators of beam and scallop trawlers have been urged to inspect their vessels’ quick-release arrangements after a deckhand was fatally injured by chain failure on the Honeybourne III in 2023.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) added that any necessary changes should be made to the equipment or its operation to ensure the safety of crew working on deck. Continue reading “Safety warning issued after deckhand killed by chain failure on Honeybourne III”

A crewmember died after the fishing vessel, Ben Thomas capsize and sank off the Irish coast.

A report into the incident, which took place two years ago, has been released by the Irish Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), concluding the investigation.

What happened

On the 12 December 2023, at approximately 05.00 hours the fishing vessel Ben Thomas departed Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co. Louth Continue reading “Investigation into fishing vessel Ben Thomas capsize and fatality”

Six crewmembers were forced to abandon ship after prawn trawler Odyssey capsized and sank in the North Sea on 29 October 2024. Its crew were rescued from a liferaft uninjured.

According to the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), the accident occurred after high-capacity deck wash pumps were left running unattended, while the crew recovered the fishing gear, discharging water onto the vessel’s weathertight shelter deck. It is likely that a blocked tonnage valve prevented the water from escaping, resulting in rapid flooding and a catastrophic loss of stability. Continue reading “Prawn trawler Odyssey sank after crew left wash pumps running”

Authorities have concluded the investigation into the 1994 sinking of the MV Estonia citing the failure of the ferry’s bow section as the cause of the incident.

On September 28, 1994, the Estonian-flagged ferry Estonia sank during the regular route from Tallinn to Stockholm.

There were 989 people on board – only 137 survived. 852 people died in the accident and the bodies of 95 drowned people were found. Most of the victims were Swedish (501) and Estonian (285) citizens. Continue reading “MV Estonia investigation closed as incident due to bow failure”

The HM Government of Gibraltar has published an accident report into the death of a pumpman on board a motor tanker at the Port of Gibraltar due to a fatal mooring incident.

On the afternoon of the 20 May 2025, the pumpman of the Gibraltar Registered tanker Nisyros was fatally injured whilst operating the port forward mooring winch during heaving in excess rope becoming entrapped in the mooring rope around the winch and sadly died of multiple injuries. Continue reading “Report released on fatal mooring incident aboard motor tanker”

The Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator has released an investigation report into the death of a crewmember from tanker TRF Kashima after the sailor and two other crewmembers had entered an enclosed space and fell unconscious.

What happened

On 14 July 2024, the Republic of the Marshall Islands-registered oil/chemical tanker TRF Kashima, managed by Anglo Eastern Shipmanagement (Singapore) PTE. LTD., was underway in the South China Sea en route to the Republic of Singapore, where the ship was due to arrive on the morning of 16 July 2024. Work being done on board included cleaning of the ship’s cargo tanks. Continue reading “RMI investigation into enclosed space death in tanker”