Greenock tug boat tragedy took less than 10 seconds says official report
Two crew died when the Biter capsized off Greenock
A tug boat tragedy which killed two men in Greenock last year happened in less than 10 seconds, according to the official accident report.
The Biter was preparing to guide the small cruise ship Hebridean Princess into the James Watt Dock when it capsized on the afternoon of 24th February.
The crew, 65-year-old George Taft, and Ian Catterson, 73, were unable to escape the wheelhouse as the vessel was first pulled sideways, and then toppled over.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch report found that Biter girted and capsized because it was unable to reverse direction to operate directly astern of Hebridean Princess before the tug’s weight came on to the towing bridle and, when this happened, the tug’s gob rope did not prevent it being towed sideways.
The investigation also found that Hebridean Princess’s speed meant that the load on Biter’s towlines was between two and five times more than at the port’s recommended speed range.
No time to act
The report says the two men board did not have sufficient time to operate the tug’s emergency tow release mechanism.
Once the tug had capsized, and accommodation hatch, which had been left open, might have prevented air being trapped inside the wheelhouse, potentially limiting their chance of survival.
The investigation also found that the master/pilot and pilot/tug information exchanges were incomplete and that the opportunity to correct the pilot’s assumption about Biter’s intended manoeuvre was lost.
Further analysis indicated that the training provided had not adequately prepared the pilot for their role and that it was likely that the tug master did not fully appreciate the risks associated with the manoeuvre.
Safety warning
Andrew Moll OBE, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents said: “Tug Biter’s accident was another cruel lesson of how rapidly things can go dreadfully wrong.
“In less than 10 seconds the tug capsized, and two experienced seafarers lost their lives, because of a breakdown of the systems that should have kept them safe.
“Small conventional tugs remain an essential part of UK port operations. However, the vulnerabilities of these vessels must be understood by those that operate and control them.
“Harbour authorities, ship and tug masters, and pilots should collectively own this risk. Pilots and tug crews must be suitably trained and experienced for their roles, and they must share a detailed understanding of the towage plan before they start the job.
“ Speed, which has an exponential effect on towing forces, must be carefully controlled and the lines correctly set. Everyone involved must then monitor the execution of the plan and, if needed, act to keep everyone safe.”
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