The Case Of The Killer Catch

The Case Of The Killer Catch - Special Edition MAC Report

September 12th, 2007 · Comments2007-09-12+13%3A07%3A53John - by John -

Pesbo BSC25m Lifeboat Drawing

Bob Couttie sent us an email yesterday announcing a Special Edition of his Maritime Accident Casebook. Why did he release this issue early? ….because it’s a look at lifeboat safety and more specifically the details of a recent incident that claimed the life of three maritime officers, a bosun and cadet.

We recently received a response to our Maritime Mythbuster story request. Our question to readers: “What nautical myths would you like gCaptain to debunk?”. The very first response questioned the myth “More people have been killed in lifeboat incidents than saved by them since the sinking of the titanic”. We do not know the answer to this myth (maybe Bob can enlighten us) but Bob’s podcasts have proven, lifeboats are extremely dangerous.

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About The Author

Captain John Konrad is co-founder of Unofficial Networks and Editor In Chief of this blog. He is a USCG licensed Master Mariner of Unlimited Tonnage and, since graduating from SUNY Maritime College, has sailed a variety of ships from ports around the world. He currently lives in Morro Bay, California with his wife and two children.
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Comments2007-09-12+13%3A07%3A53John so far ↓

1 Bob Couttie // Sep 24, 2007 at 10:21 pm

I suspect that “since the sinking of the Titanic” would make it a myth because that would certainly include WW1 and 2. If you said “in the last 21 years” you’d be almost certainly right.
Unfortunately there is no central database on numbers of people saved by lifeboats or killed in lifeboat accidents (as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency found out, there’s not point asking the lifeboat manufacturers) but, if memory serves me, the original MAIB report on lifeboat accidents over a 10 year period found that lifeboat accident killed 16 per cent of all fatalities onboard ship.
I mentioned 21 years because that’s how long on-load release systems have been mandatory, these systems are responsible for 60 per cent of fatalities although just 16 per cent of accidents. Go figure.
In the good old days mariners had plenty of experience launching lifeboats because these were often the ship’s tenders. These days they don’t, and they’re often badly trained and inexperienced to boot, many lifeboat designs are frankly dangerous.
2 Bob Couttie // Sep 24, 2007 at 10:21 pm

I suspect that “since the sinking of the Titanic” would make it a myth because that would certainly include WW1 and 2. If you said “in the last 21 years” you’d be almost certainly right.
Unfortunately there is no central database on numbers of people saved by lifeboats or killed in lifeboat accidents (as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency found out, there’s not point asking the lifeboat manufacturers) but, if memory serves me, the original MAIB report on lifeboat accidents over a 10 year period found that lifeboat accident killed 16 per cent of all fatalities onboard ship.
I mentioned 21 years because that’s how long on-load release systems have been mandatory, these systems are responsible for 60 per cent of fatalities although just 16 per cent of accidents. Go figure.
In the good old days mariners had plenty of experience launching lifeboats because these were often the ship’s tenders. These days they don’t, and they’re often badly trained and inexperienced to boot, many lifeboat designs are frankly dangerous.
3 John // Sep 24, 2007 at 10:56 pm

Bob, thanks for clearing the myth up. I personally think Lifeboats are a necessary evil but too little thought goes into providing common sense exceptions and practices. I was unaware of the on-load statistics but will say (probably to the amazement of others) that it’s only in the last few years that I’ve personally seen ships use maintenance pendants.
4 John // Sep 24, 2007 at 10:56 pm

Bob, thanks for clearing the myth up. I personally think Lifeboats are a necessary evil but too little thought goes into providing common sense exceptions and practices. I was unaware of the on-load statistics but will say (probably to the amazement of others) that it’s only in the last few years that I’ve personally seen ships use maintenance pendants.
5 Bob Couttie // Sep 24, 2007 at 11:19 pm

And, of course, one isn’t supposed to use maintenance pennants in a lifeboat drill. Hmmm.
6 Bob Couttie // Sep 24, 2007 at 11:19 pm

And, of course, one isn’t supposed to use maintenance pennants in a lifeboat drill. Hmmm.
7 John // Sep 25, 2007 at 8:19 am

….or just one pendant (the FWD one) during a drill where they lowered it. I didn’t see that one personally but did get to see the fiberglass repair job the crew was very proud of completing.
8 John // Sep 25, 2007 at 8:19 am

….or just one pendant (the FWD one) during a drill where they lowered it. I didn’t see that one personally but did get to see the fiberglass repair job the crew was very proud of completing.

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