New safety rules recommended by report on tugboat sinking

The Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods, has ordered a review of safety procedures in harbours following an investigation into the loss of two lives off Great Island jetty, Co Wexford. The two crewmen of the tug New Ross I, the master, Mr John Leacy, and a deckhand, Michael Aspel, were not wearing lifejackets or buoyancy aids when their vessel capsized during a towing operation on August 8th, 1995, the report has found. The tug was also lacking safety equipment.

Issued almost four years after the accident, the report was presented to relatives before yesterday's publication. Legal vetting contributed to the long delay. A draft was given to the Port of New Ross Company, but it did not comment beyond expressing sympathy to the bereaved families.

The investigation found that the New Ross I was not subject to merchant shipping regulations regarding manning, construction or stability, and neither crew member, although very experienced, had formal qualifications. While assisting the berthing of a tanker, the Grizzly, at Great Island jetty the tug capsized. One man was trapped in the wheelhouse and the second fell overboard and could not be revived.

The 189-metre Grizzly was the largest non-passenger ship to be handled in the port up to that date, and two tugs were considered necessary for the task. It was the first occasion that the port pilot, who boarded at Dunmore East, had berthed a ship with assistance of tugs at that berth, and he was not advised of the identity of the vessels to be used until this information was passed to him by the Dunmore East pilot look-out.

The report notes that in trying to keep the ship's stern away from the jetty the New Ross I had to reposition itself astern of the Grizzly. The effect of the wash from the Grizzly turned the tug at right angles to the towline and resulted in a rapid capsize. A buoyancy apparatus designed to float free of the vessel was not on board, nor were there two life-buoys in position on either side of the wheelhouse. Although there were two lifejackets on board, they were not worn by either crew member.

The report has recommended that a marine notice on safety procedures for tugs engaged in harbour duties be issued, a measure effected last September. It stresses that employers must ensure that employees wear lifejackets or suitable buoyancy aids at all times during such tasks and states that tug-masters should be briefed in advance on the intended use of their vessel and should be kept fully informed during towing.

The Minister said yesterday that he intended to bring proposals to Government shortly which would speed up publication of investigations and establish a new statutory marine casualty investigation board.