Skipper fell asleep before Loch Fyne shipwreck, report finds
The captain of a fishing vessel had “fallen asleep” at the helm, causing a shipwreck on Loch Fyne, a report has found.
The Crystal Stream was returning to Tarbert in the early hours of June 6 last year when it struck an underwater obstruction near Barmore Island, forcing the crew to abandon ship after attempts to save the vessel failed.
An 11-month investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) was published on May 7.
It found that safety management procedures were “inadequate”, citing crew fatigue, a “failure” to address key operational areas, and a lack of risk assessment as causes of the accident.
The MAIB report said: “In the 24 hours before the grounding, the skipper had a little over four hours’ rest, divided between two separate periods.
“In the six days leading up to the accident, the skipper’s rest totalled just over 24 hours.
“Operational needs were prioritised over rest requirements, resulting in a working pattern that promoted fatigue and placed the vessel and crew at risk.”
Under the 2004 Fishing Vessels Regulations, crews are entitled to a minimum of 10 hours’ rest in a 24-hour period, with certain exemptions if compensatory rest is taken.
The report found the crew “did not meet” the requirements set out in the regulations and also raised concerns about the skipper keeping watch alone at night.
Analysis of the onboard risk assessments found that no safety measures had been put in place to mitigate the dangers of single-person watchkeeping.
A watch alarm system — a safety mechanism designed to alert other crew members if there is inactivity at the helm — was not functioning on the vessel.
The investigation added: “Fatigue was almost certainly a contributory factor. Operating alone for extended periods increased the risk of reduced alertness and microsleeps.
“Combined with the absence of a functioning watch alarm, these conditions resulted in an ineffective watch being maintained and placed the crew at risk.”
The report also highlighted failings in the crew’s emergency response training, which it described as “inadequate”.
This included launching the lifeboat upside down and failing to locate the knife needed to cut the recovery vessel loose, resulting in the captain having to reboard the ship to ensure the crew could return safely to shore.
Minor injuries were sustained during the accident, with one deckhand hospitalised following the incident.
The wreckage has since been successfully removed, with only minor pollution reported.
The Crystal Stream’s owners, M&I MacKinnon Ltd, have been given three recommendations by the MAIB.
These include implementing a fleet-wide fatigue management system, improving safety management procedures, and updating watchkeeping protocols to bring them into line with regulations.
M&I MacKinnon Ltd has now installed watch alarms across its fleet.
The Tarbert-based company has been contacted by the Argyllshire Advertiser for comment.
The MAIB has also published a safety flyer for the fishing industry highlighting the lessons learned from the accident.
A full copy of the investigation report can be found on the MAIB website.
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