MAIB confirms missing fishing boat Nicola Faith has been raised and recovered

The recovered Nicola Faith fishing boat
Photo credit: MAIB

Four months after the fishing vessel Nicola Faith went missing with all hands off the coast of Wales, the U.K.’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch confirmed that the vessel was recovered in a unique salvage operation. The effort was undertaken after the families of the three lost crew members arranged for a private search to confirm the identity of the vessel on the seafloor. The MAIB said recovery and analysis of the vessel would help to provide answers to the question of why the fishing vessel was lost.

The vessel departed from Conwy, on the north coast of Wales, on January 27 and was believed to be out to set lobster pots. The vessel was not heard from and the MAIB was alerted to an overdue vessel, prompting the SAR operations. Seven RNLI lifeboats and three HM Coastguard teams searched an area measuring more than 400 square miles but reported no sign of the vessel of its three missing crew members.

In March, an inflatable lifeboat from the vessel was found more than 100 miles away. The bodies of the three missing crew, Captain Carl McGrath, Ross Ballantine, and Alan Minard, were recovered on the shoreline. Only in March did the MAIB locate the sunken vessel less than 100 meters from its last known location and after an initial survey, private searchers were brought in to confirm the identity of the ship. Divers photographed and surveyed the Nicola Faith with the information supplied to the MAIB.

Watch the vessel being raised.

In the first stages of the recovery operation, a remotely operated vehicle was used to conduct a final survey of Nicola Faith on the seabed. Evidence including fishing equipment and outlying debris was mapped and collected from the area around the vessel. MAIB said it believes this information will help the team to understand what led the vessel to capsize.

In preparation for the recovery, anchors were set, and salvage pumps were used to remove a large quantity of seawater from the vessel. The Nicola Faith, which weighed 11 tons was raised using a crane barge capable of lifting up to 150 tons from a depth of 140 feet.

“This operation needed to be meticulously planned and executed to ensure that valuable evidence was conserved,” said Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Captain Andrew Moll. “The purpose of our investigation is to improve safety. The next phase of the investigation will be to establish what events led to the vessel’s capsize, the mechanics of how the vessel sunk, and why. Once the investigation is complete, a report which details the findings will be prepared and published.”

After the vessel was brought to the surface, it was placed on the deck of an adjacent ship. The Nicola Faith is being moved to a specially adapted location where it will be housed until the investigation is complete. Once it has been secured, the families of the crew will have an opportunity to view the vessel.

Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge

Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge
Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge

The MAIB have issued a report into the fatal crush incident involving workboat Beinn Na Caillich. At about 1510 on 18 February 2020, the Ardintoul fish farm assistant manager drowned after falling into the water from a feed barge access ladder during a boat transfer. He stepped from the deck onto the ladder while Beinn Na Caillich was still moving forward and was crushed between the boat and the barge. A fish farm technician on board the barge attempted to stop the injured assistant manager from falling in to the water by holding onto the back of his personal flotation device and oilskin jacket, but the severely injured casualty slipped out of them. Despite the assistant manager being recovered from the water and the determined efforts of the fish farm workers, emergency services, and medical staff, the assistant Continue reading “Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge”

MAIB report on fatal accident between Seadogz and a buoy

Interim MAIB report on fatal accident between Seadogz and a buoy plus urgent safety recommendation published
Interim MAIB report on fatal accident between Seadogz and a buoy plus urgent safety recommendation published

The Marine and Accident Branch has issued an interim report and safety recommendation on the investigation of the collision between the high-speed passenger craft Seadogz and a navigation buoy resulting in one fatality in Southampton Water on 22 August 2020.

Seadogz was designed and manufactured by Red Bay Ribs Ltd in 2012 with a high sheer bow, deep ‘v’-shaped hull, and inflatable tubes with seven buoyancy chambers. Seadogz was equipped with twin 300hp Yahama outboard engines that, when first fitted, could drive the RIB at speeds of up to 55kts.

Continue reading “MAIB report on fatal accident between Seadogz and a buoy”

Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG

Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG (Sir Tony Robinson pictured left)
Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG (Sir Tony Robinson pictured left)

Cygnus Instruments developed the Multiple Echo technique in the 1980s in conjunction with IACS (International Association of Classification Societies).  This special ultrasonic technique uses a “single crystal” probe utilising multiple back wall reflections to both ignore coatings (such as anti-fouling paint) and to give an accurate and reliable result on metal thickness.

Mr John Heath, a highly experienced and respected marine surveyor with over 40 years’ experience is the IIMS Technical Director and a board member.  He recalls using his first piece of Cygnus equipment back in the 1980s.  “I certainly remember using the very large oscilloscopes, pencil and tracing paper to conduct diminution surveys – and naturally, I recall what a revolution it was for our industry. Continue reading “Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG”

Warnings of double VAT for extended cruises

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns of double VAT for extended cruises
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns of double VAT for extended cruises

In a letter published in The Times, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, patron of the Cruising Association (CA), has highlighted the devastating effect of HMRC’s demands for VAT on boats returning to the UK including extended cruises. This includes all British boats that had been out of the UK for three years having to pay VAT again on their return.

His letter is counter-signed by many other sailing names including Sir Ben Ainslie, Mike Golding OBE, Pip Hare, Dee Caffari MBE, Libby Purves OBE, Paul Heiney and Bob Shepton, in addition to the president of the CA, Julian Dussek.

The text of Knox-Johnston’s letter says:

“The freedom for yachtsmen and women to sail from the United Kingdom and return a few years later has been struck a deadly blow by Continue reading “Warnings of double VAT for extended cruises”

London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times

London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times
London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times

A special webinar entitled ‘Maritime Arbitration in London – Present and Future Challenges’, hosted by law firm HFW, attracted an audience of over 300 listeners from 43 countries at this year’s London International Disputes Week (LIDW21) in mid-May.

Following introductory remarks by HFW Partner and webinar host Jonathan Webb, webinar chairman Lord Hamblen, UK Supreme Court Justice and a leading shipping lawyer at the Bar before becoming a judge, introduced Ian Gaunt, Arbitrator and Past President of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA).

Gaunt began the panel discussion by pointing out that the LMAA had reacted quickly to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic last year by Continue reading “London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times”

New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced

New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced
New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced

With reports of 3,010 arbitrator appointments, 2020 recorded the highest number of London Maritime Arbitrators Association arbitrator appointments since 2015, thus confirming that the LMAA remains a popular forum for dispute resolution in the shipping industry.

The London Maritime Arbitrators Association has published a new set of terms for all of the ‘full’ procedures (the LMAA Terms 2021), the LMAA Intermediate Claims Procedure 2021 and the LMAA Small Claims Procedure 2021. All take effect from 1 May 2021 and will apply to new arbitrations commenced after that date.

Though certain amendments are simple fine tuning of the rules, others are particularly important in view of the recent challenges arising from by the COVID 19 pandemic. The amendments have again been spearheaded by David Owen QC, and the revised full terms and procedures can be found on the London Maritime Arbitrators Association website. Continue reading “New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced”

Report into fire onboard a bulk carrier at Port Kembla published

Report into fire onboard bulk carrier at Port Kembla published
Report into fire onboard bulk carrier at Port Kembla published

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has published an investigation report surrounding a fire onboard a bulk carrier, Iron Chieftan, that took five days to contain and extinguish. The report highlights the lack of adequate regulatory requirements and standards to address the known risk of fire on-board self-unloading ships.

On 18 June 2018, during cargo discharge operations while alongside at Port Kembla, New South Wales (NSW), a fire broke out in the internal cargo handling spaces of the self-unloading (SUL) bulk carrier Iron Chieftain. The ship’s crew initiated an emergency response but shipboard efforts to control the fire were ineffective. The fire soon established Continue reading “Report into fire onboard a bulk carrier at Port Kembla published”

Ferry bottom contact linked to safety management deficiencies

Ferry bottom contact linked to safety management deficiencies
Ferry bottom contact linked to safety management deficiencies

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has published an investigation report about the bottom contact of the passenger ferry ‘Deer Island Princess II’ near Letete, New Brunswick, in February 2018. It has determined that common safety hazards, such as extremely low tides, had not been identified and mitigated by the operator of the vessel.

On 2 February 2018, the passenger ferry Deer Island Princess II, with 4 people onboard, made bottom contact while transiting from Butler Point, Deer Island, New Brunswick to Letete, New Brunswick. As a result, one of two Z-drive thruster units detached from the vessel. The crew aborted its voyage and was proceeding back to Butler Point Continue reading “Ferry bottom contact linked to safety management deficiencies”

Revised Marshall Islands Yacht Code 2021 published

The Marshall Islands have released their new Yacht Code 2021
The Marshall Islands have released their new Yacht Code 2021

The RMI Maritime Administrator has further revised the Marshall Islands Yacht Code 2021 to reflect changes in today’s yacht market, not only in terms of the increasing size and complexity of yachts being designed and built, but also to cover recent industry developments. The Code was first published in 2013 and this is the most significant update to the Code since then.

This new Code incorporates all Yacht Code Supplements issued as amendments to the previous Code, as well as additional technical and safety updates. These include structural fire protection for yachts of less than 500 gross tonnage (GT) assigned with Category 2 notation, rescue Continue reading “Revised Marshall Islands Yacht Code 2021 published”

Fire onboard stresses need for continuous monitoring of inactive vessels

Fire onboard stresses need for continuous monitoring of inactive vessels
Fire onboard stresses need for continuous monitoring of inactive vessels

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published an investigation report on the fire onboard the dive support vessel Iron Maiden, whilst docked at a shipyard in Louisiana, in April 2020. The investigation identified an electrical short from an unidentified source as the main reasons for the incident.

On April 16, 2020, about 0110 local time, a fire onboard the dive support vessel Iron Maiden occurred while the vessel was docked at the Allied Shipyard in Larose, Louisiana. Local firefighters extinguished the fire at 0225. There was no one aboard the vessel at the time of the fire.

Continue reading “Fire onboard stresses need for continuous monitoring of inactive vessels”

Post-Brexit boat certification requirements clarified

UK and EU Flag
UK and EU Flag

Following the successful cooperation on VAT and customs, the leading European, British, and international leisure marine associations continue to provide clarity on the new post-Brexit trade relationships, including the Post-Brexit boat certification.

The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA), European Boating Industry (EBI), European Boating Association (EBA), British Marine (BM) and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) have now issued clarification on certification requirements for second-hand boats in trade between the EU and UK post-Brexit. Continue reading “Post-Brexit boat certification requirements clarified”

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