Failure to keep a proper lookout, a faulty radio and fatigue
resulted in a collision between two vessels off the coast of
Western Australian on 18 January 2001, according to an
investigation report released by the Australian Transport Safety
Bureau today.
The report states that the collision occurred at 0435 local
time, 14 miles off the coast when the rock lobster fishing vessel,
Lipari, struck the side of the Hong Kong flag bulk carrier,
Handymariner. The ship sustained no damage in the incident but the
fishing vessel was holed on the starboard bow above the waterline.
There were no injuries sustained by the crew of either vessel.
Lipari had left Port Bouvard, south of Fremantle, earlier on the
morning of the incident to check lobster pots set some 36 miles
offshore. Shortly after leaving port, the vessel's two deckhands
had gone below to sleep while the skipper stayed in the wheelhouse
with the vessel's autopilot engaged.
The mate on watch on the south-bound Handymariner had detected
Lipari on radar some 25 minutes before the collision. He had
attempted to call the fishing vessel on marine radio but Lipari's
radio was not working and so his calls went unheard. The mate then
attempted to warn the fishing boat using a signal lamp and the
ship's whistle but still received no response. Lipari had
maintained a steady course and speed towards the ship. When the
collision was imminent, the mate had altered the ship's course to
starboard.
Just before the two vessels collided, the skipper in Lipari's
wheelhouse had heard the ship's whistle. He realised at that point
that there was a ship dead ahead and so turned the fishing vessel's
helm hard to port to try to avoid the collision.
The report concludes that the look-out maintained on Lipari was
inadequate, with the lack of an operational VHF marine radio on the
vessel also contributing to the incident. The investigation also
revealed that it was probable that Lipari's skipper was suffering
from some affects of chronic fatigue which may have led to his poor
situational awareness and poor look-out in the time leading up to
the collision.
The report recommends that all commercial vessels operating
offshore be required to carry operational VHF radio equipment and
that State and Territory marine authorities review work practices
and manning levels on fishing vessels to establish guidelines for
the management of crew fatigue.