Person overboard from potter Girl Alice with loss of 1 life

Location: Off the south-east coast of Scotland.

Accident Investigation Report 17/2001

Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened, actions taken and subsequent recommendations:

girl-alice.pdf (160.28 kb)

Summary

On Sunday 19 November 2000, the skipper/owner of the 6.24m fishing vessel Girl Alice, was lost overboard while operating the vessel alone, in good visibility, off the south-east coast of Scotland.

Safety Issues

  • the skipper may have caught his foot in a bight of rope while shooting
  • the skipper did not wear Constant Wear Buoyancy Equipment or carry a PLB or flares

Recommendations

Our report makes a recommendation to the MCA about inclusion of a recommendation that boats similar to Girl Alice are fitted with engine and steering controls at, or near, the pot hauling controls in its leaflet entitled Single Handed Operation.

This report was published in May 2001.

Published 23 January 2015