A preliminary investigation into the capsize of the pilot boat L242 has determined that the craft did not collide with the vessel it was approaching at the time of the accident. Instead, a combination of swells, the wake from the nearby ship and powerful currents led to the capsize of the boat and the death of two individuals on board. Based on information gathered so far, investigators believe that the boat was pushed over to 90 degrees by the combination of these forces. It remained at this angle temporarily, then fully capsized.
At 1700 hours on December 8, the Swedish Maritime Rescue Center Helsinki received notification that a pilot boat had capsized east of Helsinki. The Finnish Border Guard dispatched boat units from Suomenlinna and Porvoo, along with helicopters from Helsinki and the patrol vessel Turva. The responders attempted to parbuckle the pilot boat, but it sank during the righting evolution. After the sinking, divers searched the interior and found the bodies of the boat’s two crewmembers. Continue reading “Wake and currents the cause of L242 pilot boat capsize”
