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Person overboard from passenger ferry Snowdrop resulting in recovery of a young child from the water
Location: Seacombe ferry terminal, River Mersey, England.
Accident Investigation Report 22/2014
Investigation report into marine accident including what happened and safety lessons:
(4,246.23 kb)
Summary
Report on the falling overboard and recovery of a young child from the passenger ferry Snowdrop at Seacombe ferry terminal, River Mersey, England on 14 October 2013.
The key safety issues identified were:
- A 3 year old child was rescued from the River Mersey by the ship’s mate after she fell over the upper deck guardrail of the ferry Snowdrop.
- The location and design of the upper deck seating enabled the child to climb to the top of the guardrail.
- The adults responsible for the child, allowed her to stand on the seating and were distracted prior to the accident occurring.
- Measures in place to prevent passengers from standing on the seating proved ineffective.
- Procedures to inform the Coastguard were not followed.
Published: 28 August 2014