Person overboard from vivier crabber Peadar Elaine with 1 person injured
Location: 30 miles south west of Prawle Point, Devon, England.
Completed PE Summary: Peadar Elaine
A short summary of the accident and action taken:
| Fishing Vessel/Accident Details | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Peadar Elaine |
| Registered Owner/Manager | Privately owned |
| Port of Registry | Dartmouth |
| Flag | UK |
| Type | Vivier crabber |
| Built | 1992 |
| Construction | Steel |
| Length Overall | 18.35m |
| Gross Tonnage | 128 |
| Date/Time | 30/11/2006, 2320 |
| Location of Incident | Off Prawle Point |
| Incident Type | Accident to person |
| Persons Onboard | 6 crew |
| Fatalities/Injuries | 1 injured - laceration to forehead, chest contusions, broken toe |
| Damage/Pollution | None |
Synopsis
An injured fisherman was being airlifted from Peadar Elaine by a SAR helicopter when it became necessary for the helicopter crew to guillotine the winch wire due to the casualty being dragged violently towards the boats rail. This resulted in the fisherman going overboard in adverse weather, in darkness and without a lifejacket. Fortunately the man was wearing a flotation suit, and, only because he was conscious, he was able to float face up. The skipper manoeuvred the boat alongside the casualty who was then recovered by his crewmates hanging over the bulwark rail whilst others held onto their legs.
Action taken
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents wrote to the owner of normal Peadar Elaine commending the vessel’s skipper and crew on their seamanship skills but also highlighting the danger that the rest of the crew were placed in due to the lack of a man overboard recovery system. It was suggested that man overboard recovery should be reviewed as part of their risk assessment.