MAIB report into woman overboard death highlights safety issues, particularly for charities

An official report into the death of a crew member who fell overboard from a Sonar class keelboat while racing off Cowes in 2022, has highlighted a number of safety issues, particularly for charities.

Elizabeth Wood, a 43-year-old crew, fell overboard from an Andrew Cassell Foundation Sonar keelboat, LimbItless at around 1330 on 1 October 2022 while racing off Cowes, Isle of Wight.

The Andrew Cassell Foundation helps disabled sailors gain independence on the water and focuses on race training with – and against – able bodied crew. Andrew Cassell, sailmaker and former owner of Ratsey and Lapthorn in Cowes, founded the charity after he won a gold medal at the Paralympics.

On the day of the accident, the Foundation was participating in racing organised by the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club. LimbItless was crewed by an experienced skipper, with Elizabeth and two foundation participants as crew members.

The Sonar keelboat quickly returned to Elizabeth’s location in the water but its crew were unable to recover her back on board.

A further 15 minutes later, Elizabeth was recovered with assistance from the crews of three other vessels that had arrived on scene in response to the skipper’s ‘Mayday’ broadcast.

Elizabeth was unconscious when recovered and, despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation being administered as she was taken ashore and professional medical attention on arrival, she did not recover.

The investigation found that the Andrew Cassell Foundation did not have an effective method of recovering Elizabeth from the water and she died through drowning.

A risk assessment had been conducted but was incomplete and did not consider recovery methods tailored to individual needs.

It was also established that the equipment and training provided to volunteers did not sufficiently address how to physically recover people from the water and a safety boat was not deployed.

Oversight, assurance, and governance of charitable sailing activities was found to be lacking unless it was conducted by the Royal Yachting Association when approving its Recognised Training Centres

The MAIB report noted several safety issues:
* although the woman was wearing a correctly fitting lifejacket and appropriate sailing clothing the crew member rapidly succumbed to the effects of immersion and was unable to assist with her own recovery
* the activity’s risk assessment was incomplete as it did not consider how individuals who had fallen overboard would be recovered from the water
* the crew were insufficiently trained and practised in the recovery of a person overboard

The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Andrew Moll OBE, said: ‘Any boating activity carries the risk of a person falling in the water.

‘It is important that skippers and event organisers conduct an appropriate assessment to determine the level of assistance that might be required – such as equipment, personnel or support craft – to ensure the timely recovery of a person from the water.

‘Additionally, vessel crews must be practised in the recovery of people from the water and be familiar with their rescue equipment.

‘Not every event or outing requires bespoke equipment but it may be necessary, especially when sailing with people whose ability to assist with their own recovery might be impaired.

‘All skippers should consider how they and their crew will recover an unconscious person from the water in a timely manner and ensure they and their crew practise thoroughly for such an event.’

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is now recommended to review the definition of the term ‘Pleasure Vessel’ to clarify that vessels operated by organisations and charities to take vulnerable adults and children afloat do not fall within the scope of that definition.

The Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group is recommended to bring this report to the attention of local authorities and invite them to consider oversight of waterborne charitable activities within their jurisdictions.

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