The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report into the death of a pilot while attempting to board Finnhawk from the pilot vessel Humber Saturn, in Humber Estuary on 8 January 2023.
The Humber pilot fell from a pilot ladder after likely suffering a cardiac event while boarding the roll-on/roll-off cargo vessel Finnhawk from the pilot vessel Humber Saturn. The pilot hit the deck of Humber Saturn before falling into the water and losing consciousness. The pilot was quickly recovered onto Humber Saturn’s semi-submerged man overboard recovery platform, which could not be raised, and he remained semi-immersed in cold water for over 40 minutes until he could be transferred to a lifeboat. The pilot was then evacuated to hospital by a coastguard helicopter where he was later pronounced deceased.
The key safety issues identified were:
• the seafarer’s medical certificate issued to the pilot six months before the accident should not have declared him fully fit for duty given that he suffered from several chronic health conditions that might have affected his fitness to perform his role.
• the pilot vessel’s man overboard recovery platform had defects that probably rendered it incapable of lifting the pilot at the time of the accident and caused the pilot to be semi-immersed on the platform for over 40 minutes until evacuation, thereby reducing his chance of survival.
• the port authority’s ‘stop work’ procedure was unsuccessful in preventing the pilot from working on the day of the accident despite several interventions and concerns about his fitness being raised by his colleagues.
• the port authority had not risk assessed the physical capabilities required of its pilots to establish an occupational standard for the role.
Recommendations have been made to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to issue guidance that non-SOLAS vessels carry an alternative means of recovery of an unconscious person.
Associated British Ports has been recommended to: review its risk assessment and, where necessary, update its pilots’ personal protective equipment to improve their survivability in cold water and align the safety training given to pilots with industry guidance.
Port industry bodies have been recommended to issue guidance on the setting of occupational standards for marine pilots and the provision of suitable personal protective equipment to improve pilot survivability in cold water.
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Andrew Moll, said: “Pilot transfers are challenging and potentially hazardous and fortunately most are conducted without incident. Tragically, however, on 8 January 2023 this was not the case and a respected and experienced marine pilot lost his life.
"While superficially this was a simple accident, our investigation identified safety concerns across the training, equipment, medical standards and emergency response, and this report addresses all of these.
“While the MAIB has been encouraged by the actions of the port and industry bodies to address these safety issues, I strongly urge all harbor authorities with a pilotage service to learn the lessons of this accident and take action.”