The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its report on its investigation into the grounding and subsequent loss of the UK-registered prawn trawler Crystal Stream in Scottish waters on June 6, 2025.
Shortly after 00:00 local time on the said date, Crystal Stream struck an underwater obstruction near Barmore Island, Loch Fyne, Scotland. Shortly afterwards, the skipper intentionally beached the vessel on the rocky shore, where the crew abandoned to a liferaft.
The vessel was later declared a constructive total loss, and it was broken up and removed from site.
The MAIB found that Crystal Stream's skipper, who was the lone watchkeeper at the time of the grounding, was highly likely fatigued due to their schedule in the week before the accident.
The vessel’s safety management was found to be inadequate, failing to address key operational areas including navigational practices, risk assessments and crew medical fitness.
Crystal Stream’s crew did not receive an induction on joining and a lack of regular drills resulted in them being unfamiliar with the vessel’s lifesaving equipment and emergency procedures.
M&I MacKinnon, Crystal Stream's owner, has been recommended to improve the safety management of its vessels through: the adoption of a safety management system aligned with the Fishing Safety Management Code; the implementation of watchkeeping procedures aligned with Maritime and Coastguard Agency guidance; and the implementation of a fleetwide fatigue management system to ensure that crew on board its vessels are provided with adequate rest.
A safety flyer to the fishing industry was produced with this report to highlight the safety issues identified by this investigation.