Capsize and sinking of potter pamela s with loss of 1 life

CAPSIZE AND SINKING OF POTTER PAMELA S WITH LOSS OF 1 LIFE Location: Carmarthen Bay, Wales. CONTENTS * Accident Investigation Report 32/2006 * Summary * Safety Issues * Recommendations

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPORT 32/2006 Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened, actions taken and subsequent recommendations: Pamela S.pdf (2,018.72 kb)

Annexes (2,197.65 kb) SUMMARY At around 1700 on 17 June 2006 on a fine, calm day the crew of the fishing vessel Pamela S were preparing to lay a line of whelk pots in Carmarthen Bay when the

vessel suddenly, rapidly and without warning, capsized and sank. Two people were on board at the time: one crewman on deck aft, and the skipper in the forward wheelhouse. The crewman

shouted a warning to the skipper as water began to flood onto the deck aft as the vessel started to capsize to port. Extraordinarily, almost 10 hours after the sinking, the skipper staggered

ashore at Pendine beach in the early hours of 18 June. He was discovered by a member of the public, who fortuitously was a trained first-aider and who kept the skipper warm until medical

assistance arrived. Despite an extensive search for the crewman, his body was not found until 27 June when it was recovered from the water off Pendine beach. SAFETY ISSUES Our examination

found that, regardless of loading condition, the vessel had a very low level of inherent stability with a very low freeboard throughout the length of its working deck. Electrical faults were

discovered on the bilge pumping system, no bilge alarm was fitted and, at the time of the sinking, nine securing bolts from the base of the stern gantry were missing. No evidence of the

lifesaving equipment: liferaft, lifejackets or VHF radio previously issued to the skipper on a lease purchase agreement with the South and West Wales Fishing Communities association, through

an EU funding scheme, was found on the vessel. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations surrounding stability, fishing vessel inspections and lifesaving equipment have been made in recent MAIB

report which both the MCA and SFIA are already addressing, as such, our report does not make further recommendations. This report was published in December 2006. UPDATES TO THIS PAGE

Published 23 January 2015 Contents