Report on the investigation of the double fatality and subsequent loss of the small commercial vessel Calypso 2 near West End, Anguilla on 11 March 2023
Summary:
On 11 March 2023, the small commercial vessel Calypso 2 entered a cove near West End, Anguilla. The boat was overwhelmed by the force of the large ground seas that had developed near the coast and the four passengers and two crew were ejected into the water. Tragically, the mate and a female passenger lost their lives.
The key safety issues identified were:
- Calypso 2 was swamped because it entered an area of dangerous seas without being manoeuvred away.
- The boat’s operator did not have a safety management system that provided sufficient guidance and instruction to its skippers for the planning and execution of excursions.
- There were significant limitations in the framework for the conduct of small commercial vessel operations in Anguillan waters.
- While the search and rescue operation was effected promptly, there were omissions in the procedures and equipment available to the first responders.
Safety recommendations:
A recommendation has been made to The Anguilla Maritime Administration and Shipping Registry to work with the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency to develop and implement a marine safety management system to ensure that operational risks are adequately assessed and managed. Also, to ensure that the installation of automatic identification systems and safety management requirements are verified during small commercial vessel inspections.
Recommendations have also been made to Calypso Charters Ltd to develop and implement a safety management system for its domestically operating commercial vessels and to the Anguilla Fire and Rescue Service and the Royal Anguilla Police Force for the provision of additional equipment and the updating of triage procedures to improve their ability to respond to maritime emergencies.
