Report cites intoxication in fatal man overboard mishap from sail training ship in Berkeley, UK

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published an investigation report into a fatal man overboard mishap that occurred at Sharpness Shipyard and Drydock in Berkeley on October 2, 2023.

What happened

At 23:08 local time on the said date, the volunteer relief cook on the sail training ship Pelican of London fell from the top of the vessel’s gangway into the flooded drydock while under the influence of alcohol. His absence was not noted until the next morning and a search was started.

In the early afternoon of October 3, 2023, police divers recovered the relief cook’s body to the dockside, where he was later declared deceased.

Safety issues

• The gangway did not provide a safe means of access to Pelican of London.

• Onboard training and risk assessments did not mitigate the risk of a fall from the gangway.

• The relief cook was above the legal limit for duty on board Pelican of London, and the drug and alcohol policy did not specify parameters for crew returning on board from recreational time ashore.

Recommendations and publications

The vessel owner, Seas Your Future, was recommended (2024/130, 2024/131 and 2024/132) to review and amend its policy and training for the rigging and approval of the gangway when used; the risk assessment procedure; and the fleet policy and procedure for dealing with drugs and/or alcohol.

A safety flyer to the shipping industry was produced with this report, signposting guidance on how to safely rig a gangway.