An investigation has concluded into a lifeboat falling into the sea, with three mariners aboard, during a launching exercise on the polar research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough off the Isle of Mull.
About 11.45am on March 4 2021, while Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough was at anchor in Loch Buie, three of its crew members sustained minor injuries when a lifeboat fell into the sea during a familiarisation launch.
The three crewmen were inside the port lifeboat and had used its remote control system to start the launch. The lifeboat fell from the davit onto the ship’s deck and was dragged over the side by the moving davit arms before it detached from its hooks.
The crew on the deck of RRS Sir David Attenborough were unable to halt the launch sequence and prevent the lifeboat falling into the water.
“The lifeboat was dragged across the deck and momentarily balanced on the deck edge before being pulled over the side,” the report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said.
“The lifeboat, with its bow pointing downwards, fell towards the sea. The 3/O [third officer] and the bosun inside the lifeboat remained in their seats but the SG1 [seaman grade one] fell to the bow.
“The lifeboat became completely submerged and water started to food through the aft hatch opening before the lifeboat righted itself and came to rest, floating on an even keel.
“The boat deck crew on board RRS Sir David Attenborough raised the alarm by calling the bridge. At 11.58am, the vessel’s master sounded the emergency stations alarm and the crew prepared to launch the FRC [fast rescue craft] to go to the aid of the lifeboat,
which had drifted away from the ship.
“As the FRC approached the lifeboat, the 3/O indicated that no-one on board was seriously injured. The FRC then towed the lifeboat back to RRS Sir David Attenborough where it was craned onto the vessel’s main deck. The lifeboat’s crew were examined by the ship’s doctor who confrmed that they had not sufered any serious injuries.”
The report found: “The accident occurred because a safety interlock had not automatically reset after a previous test of the lifeboat launch system.
“When the remote control system was activated, the winch brake released out of sequence and caused the lifeboat to prematurely lower from the davits during the launch.
“Sir David Attenborough had recently been handed over from the shipbuilder Cammell Laird Limited to the Natural Environment Research Council and British Antarctic Survey. The launching of the lifeboat was the first opportunity for the crew to practice the procedure at sea.
“The investigation found that the required checks and planned maintenance on the davit had not been completed since it had been installed on the ship. The installation of the davit had not been fully completed in accordance with the manufacture’s specifications, but had been accepted by the approving authorities.
“Following the accident, Sir David Attenborough returned to the builder’s yard and completed a period of defect rectification that included completion of the davit installation.”