Report on the investigation of a serious injury to a passenger on the sea safari rigid inflatable boat Lundy Explorer at Ilfracombe, England on 7 June 2023
Summary:
On 7 June 2023, the rigid inflatable boat (RIB) Lundy Explorer departed Ilfracombe Harbour for a sea safari trip. While leaving the harbour the boat encountered a high wave, which caused it to slam into an oncoming wave. A passenger sitting in a jockey seat in the front of the RIB, where the highest shock loads were experienced, was dislodged from their seat and suffered a fracture of their spinal column that resulted in permanent paralysis.
The key safety issues identified were:
The local weather conditions had deteriorated quickly, and this resulted in choppy seas and increased wave heights that Lundy Explorer’s skipper had not expected.
The position of the jockey seats at the front of the boat were unsuitable for single occupancy as they exposed passengers to high shock load as the boat slammed into the waves.
The pre-departure safety briefing did not include adequate instruction on the use of the seats and the passengers were unaware of the risks.
Current regulations do not reference safety standards for the design, position and use of seats on high-speed RIBs.
Safety recommendations:
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is recommended to extend the anthropometric assessment recommended in MAIB Report 10/2023, the Seadogz report, (recommendation 2023/120) to include vertical impacts resulting from operating high-speed commercial vessels in varied sea conditions and speeds and, in consideration of MAIB Safety Bulletin SB3/2023, include in the forthcoming Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure a requirement to assess and mitigate the risks of seating people in the front third of a rigid inflatable boat or a high-speed boat.
Ilfracombe Sea Safari Limited is recommended to implement a safety management system as recommended in the Passenger Safety On Small Commercial High Speed Craft & Experience Rides – a Voluntary Code of Practice, to include operating procedures detailing pre-departure considerations and what actions to take should the conditions change; a pre-departure safety brief; risk assessments that accurately reflect potential hazards; and use of jockey seats.
The company is also recommended, in accordance with MGN 436 (M+F) Amendment 4 – Whole Body Vibration: Guidance on Mitigating Against the Effects of Shocks and Impacts on Small Vessels, to install to all company-owned RIBs sensors that provide real-time measurement of the forces experienced in the boat’s forward section to enable the person at the helm to protect passengers and crew against the effects of vibrations and shocks.
The Royal Yachting Association, British Marine, and the Professional CharterAssociation are recommended to promulgate this report to their members.
Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, said:
“This dreadful accident highlights that even when operating at slow speeds in harbour areas, significant injuries can still occur on rigid inflatable boat (RIB) rides when inappropriate seating arrangements are used. The passenger, who suffered life-changing injuries, was seated in the forward part of the vessel, an area well-known to experience the highest shock loads during wave impacts. Despite being in good health and wearing appropriate safety equipment, she was dislodged from her seat and sustained a spinal injury that has resulted in permanent paralysis.
“The risk to passengers was significantly increased by the design and use of the front ‘jockey’ seats, combined with insufficient safety briefings and a lack of formalised operational procedures. Sadly, these are not isolated issues. Our previous investigations have shown a pattern of similar injuries occurring, which suggests that safety on commercial RIB operations is a persistent issue that the industry can do more to address.
“I urge all operators to take action. Review seating arrangements, give thorough safety briefings before every voyage and conduct risk assessments. The guidance is plentiful, make use of it today.”
