2011X15 Lifeboat Accident

Lifeboat Accident

Report No. OR09

An Official Report from the UK MAIB involving a lifeboataccident was published in November 1993. In this case, the lifeboat launchingequipment suffered a catastrophic failure whilst undergoing operationaltests of some new equipment. Full MAIB reports are available from The StationeryOffice Books, PO Box 276, London SW8 5DR, Tel.0171 873 0011, Fax 0171 8738247
The test was the final one in a series of acceptance tests of a bandbowsing system (BBS) which was designed to replace the existing conventionalmethod of tricing and bowsing in of the lifeboat. The tests were designedto demonstrate to the Department of Transport that the system was a suitablealternative.

The accident happened during the operation of the system. Two seamanstationed in the forward and after hatches of the lifeboat were attemptingto release the brakes of the BBS in a controlled manner in order to movethe lifeboat away from its embarkation position to its lowering position.During this operation the after end of the lifeboat suddenly swung awayfrom the ship's side. The dynamic loads induced by the boat's swing andthe shifting of the lifeboat falls wire, together with the loading of theBBS, caused the aft davit arm to be forced out of its supporting track way.Progressive collapse of the davit structure followed. The lifeboat fellinto the dock and two of the four men in the boat were killed.