An investigation into the death of a commercial fisherman who became entangled in netting and was dragged overboard found issues with safety and training levels on small fishing vessels.
The investigation, by the State’s Marine Casualty Investigation Board, looked at the loss of a crew member from the fishing vessel Séimi, some 111km off the Co Donegal coast in February of last year.
The investigation recommended a review of safety, training and certification procedures for vessels under 15 metres in length should be considered by the Minister for Transport.
In an analysis of the incident involving the Séimi, the Investigation Board said there was “an absence of sufficiently qualified crew” which it said was “coupled with a lack of drills, formal training, risk assessment, records and safety standards”.
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The investigation report detailed how the crew of five had been placing a “string” of crab pots in a position off Arranmore Island on the northwest coast, at about 8pm on February 4th, 2023.
The operation required one crew member to be on deck ensuring the pots ran freely off the deck while another crew member manoeuvred the vessel.
As the last pot was leaving the boat, the crew member on deck became entangled in the rope connected to the pot and was dragged through the stern door opening and into the water. The vessel was stopped immediately and an attempt was made to retrieve the man , using the same line that dragged him overboard.
However, the line frayed and broke and contact was lost with the man in the water who was not wearing a life jacket, as required by regulations.
The man was seen in the water a short distance from the vessel no more than 15 minutes later and was brought on-board. The report noted a safety net which could be swung from the boat to scoop a person from the water was not used.
The crew administered CPR but the casualty did not survive.
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board noted the entire crew of the Séimi operated as “share fishers” being paid a share of the catch directly by the company that buys it.
The vessel was owned by Iasc Iorrais Teo, a company “owned by an experienced ex-fisher.” However, it noted “nobody employed by the company works on the vessel” and “the skipper is responsible for running the vessel and is also responsible for crewing.”
The report found “the casualty’s lack of experience and training on a fishing vessel coupled with a failure to fully appreciate the danger involved in working on the deck of a fishing vessel, such as handling lines in rough weather when shooting a string of pots and the poor safety culture on-board, were causative factors in this incident.”
It also found there was “no safety statement for the vessel or risk assessment prepared for the activities being carried out on the vessel.” It said “at a minimum all crew should have completed a Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), three-day safety course and hold a valid BIM safety training card”. At the time of the incident only the Skipper and one crew member held valid BIM safety training cards.
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