New Year’s Day, 2.10pm, signalled the first callout of 2016 for RNLI lifeboats in Rye, UK, when rigid inflatable B-875 Alexander and Dungeness-based Shannon Class 13-04 Storm Rider were called to assist Faversham recently re-registered under 10m, Ronan Orla, reports Bryan Gibson.
New Year’s Day, 2.10pm, signalled the first callout of 2016 for RNLI lifeboats in Rye, UK, when rigid inflatable B-875 Alexander and Dungeness-based Shannon Class 13-04 Storm Rider were called to assist Faversham recently re-registered under 10m, Ronan Orla, reports Bryan Gibson.
Ronan Orla suffered a repeat of historic engine failure in high swells and gale force winds nine miles off Dungeness Point.
Both lifeboats escorted the vessel back to its new base at Rye Harbour under its own substantially reduced engine power.
Dungeness coxswain, Roger Gillett, said, “It was a sensible call. The casualty could have got into trouble as it was experiencing engine difficulties in confused seas. We were happy to escort it safely into the river.”
A member of the Rye launch crew told WF&A, “No matter how any seafarer finds himself in trouble at sea, the RNLI will always respond to his call for help. Ronan Orla was in very real danger of becoming beached due to lack of engine power and reduced steerage.”
Engine unreliability, and the potentially fatal consequences of single-handed crewing while failing to observe the most basic of safety and maintenance measures is leading to far too many unnecessary deaths within the UK commercial fishing industry, according to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).
After closer research, Ronan Orla proved no stranger to misfortune while registered as Conwy CO10, but worryingly, past ‘problems’ appear to have been passed-on to her F2 re-incarnation.
On 30 March 2014, Ronan Orla’s previous owner, 36 year old Gareth Jones’, waterproof dungaree shoulder straps became entangled in the dredge-hauling winch and he was tragically killed.
Report
The following are extracts from the MAIB Very Serious Marine Casualty Report: 12/2015 June 2015:
‘Ronan Orla and its equipment had not been adequately maintained, and its winch was in a dangerously poor condition.’
‘It was unsafe to operate Ronan Orla as a scallop dredger single-handedly. The winch had not been fitted with the safety devices required by UK legislation and recommended by the International Maritime Organization, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and industry bodies. Had an emergency stop been fitted, the skipper might have been able to stop the winch, had a winch control lever been designed’.
‘After the accident, the skipper’s bib and brace trousers were found to be tightly wound around the warping drum.’
‘As the trousers were carefully wound off the drum, it was noted that the shoulder straps were the last part of the garment to be released. They had been stretched tight and had formed many turns on the drum.’
‘Ronan Orla was examined on several occasions after the accident by a marine surveyor on behalf of the skipper’s family. The inspections and surveys found the overall material condition both of the vessel and its winch to be poor.’
The temptation will always exist for cash-strapped fishermen to sacrifice personal safety and to neglect their boats. But all too often at the cost of their lives and distress to their families.
