'Deficiencies' found in sunken vessel

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch report into the sinking of the small fishing vessel, the Emerald Dawn from Kilkeel has indicated that there were "deficiencies" in the vessel that had not been corrected.

Emerald Dawn suddenly capsized and sank whilst fishing in the Irish Sea off Kilkeel, on 10 November 2004.

The vessel's skipper Colm Donnelly, 30, was drowned and the owner, Shane Murnaghan, 28, who was serving as a deckhand, spent a night alone and adrift in a dilapidated 27-year-old life raft in very poor condition before being rescued by a helicopter.

The report noted that in October 2004, about three weeks before the accident, the vessel was inspected by the MCA for compliance with The Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Fishing Vessels. Several deficiencies, which had been identified during the inspection, had apparently not been rectified by the time of the accident.

As the vessel was less than 15 metres in length it was subject to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Code for Small Fishing Vessels. However, this code places the onus on the boat's owner or skipper to ensure that their boats are operated and fitted out to minimum levels of safety, and as such it is largely a self-regulation code. While MCA inspectors examine these vessels, this is confined to basic equipment checks.

The MAIB report said: "Whilst the lighter touch of authority is largely welcomed by the industry, the causes and circumstances of the accidents highlighted in this report amplify the pitfalls of the current system - a small cadre of owners and skippers who wish to ignore basic safety have more freedom to put themselves and their crews at risk, whilst the more conscientious majority have less contact with experienced fishing surveyors who may be able to provide good advice and guidance."

The report highlighted that a 2002 study identified fishing as the most dangerous occupations in Great Britain. Between the years 1976 and 1995 the fatal accident rate was 103.1 per 100,000 worker years, compared with a rate of 8.4 in the construction industry and 2.0 across all workers.

"If further tragic loss of life is to be avoided, the balance between self regulation and the role of the authorities needs to be reviewed. Additionally, establishing new ways of providing skippers and owners with advice on a range of safety issues should be explored," stated the report which examined the sinking of two other similar vessels.

(SP/MB)