Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: High
The MAIB classified the occurrence as a serious marine casualty.
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | St Apollo |
| Vessel Type | Fishing Vessel |
| Flag State | United Kingdom [GB] |
| IMO Number | |
| Fishing Registration | BA 359 |
| Gross Tonnage | 51 |
| LOA (m) | 18.2 |
| Breadth (m) | |
| TEU | |
| Year Built | 1979 |
| Crew Size | 5 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2015-08-24 |
| Location | Eilean Rubha an Ridire, Inninmore Bay, Sound of Mull, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56.500833, -5.695833 |
| Region | United Kingdom |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Vessels Lost | 1 |
| Direct Damage | Constructive total loss after flooding damaged the engines and electrical systems |
Key facts
- St Apollo grounded at 0327 local time on a rocky shelf at Eilean Rubha an Ridire.
- The vessel had been proceeding under autopilot when the watchkeeper reported an unexpected turn of about 30 degrees to starboard.
- MAIB could not determine whether navigational error, equipment malfunction or a combination caused the grounding.
- The falling tide increased the vessel's starboard list, and all five crew abandoned into a liferaft.
- The crew were recovered without injury by the Oban all-weather lifeboat.
- St Apollo was salvaged but declared a constructive total loss.
Narrative
St Apollo departed Oban at 0222 on 24 August 2015 for scallop grounds between Coll and Mull. Once clear of the harbour, the skipper selected automatic steering, entered a route in the Decca Fishmaster plotter and handed the wheelhouse watch to a crew member. The skipper and the other three crew members then went below to rest.
At 0305, the vessel was west of Lismore, making about 9 knots toward the eastern entrance of the Sound of Mull. The watchkeeper was seated and monitoring the plotted route. Soon after adjusting the autopilot near a waypoint, St Apollo entered a rain squall. At about 0325, the watchkeeper felt the vessel turn approximately 30 degrees to starboard. He reduced engine speed and left the wheelhouse to shout for the skipper, but did not turn toward safe water or put the engine astern.
At 0327, St Apollo grounded on the south shore of Eilean Rubha an Ridire. The skipper stopped the propeller, mustered the crew in lifejackets and ordered checks for flooding. When no immediate ingress was found, he attempted to reverse off the shelf. The vessel remained fast and began listing to starboard as the tide fell.
The skipper alerted Stornoway Coastguard at 0338. The Oban all-weather lifeboat arrived at 0426. By 0435, the list had reached about 35 degrees and water was flowing over the starboard bulwarks, so the five crew abandoned into a liferaft and paddled to the lifeboat. At 0505, St Apollo toppled onto its starboard side in about 5 metres of water.
Divers later recovered the vessel's navigation-system drives, but water and oil contamination prevented extraction of the route and positional data needed to reconstruct the approach. St Apollo was raised on 15 September. Its hull had only slight keel distortion, but seawater had damaged the engines and electrical systems beyond economical repair.
MAIB could not determine the exact cause of the reported heading change. Loss of satellite-compass input to the autopilot was considered the most likely equipment explanation, but navigational error or a combination remained possible. The investigation found that the watchkeeper had inadequate situational awareness and equipment knowledge, used the plotter at an unsuitable scale and was likely in a low state of arousal. His failure to take immediate avoiding action allowed the vessel to reach the rocks.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-24 02:22 local | St Apollo departed Oban and proceeded under automatic steering. |
| 2015-08-24 03:05 local | The vessel was west of Lismore, making about 9 knots. |
| 2015-08-24 about 03:25 local | The watchkeeper reported an unexpected turn of about 30 degrees to starboard. |
| 2015-08-24 03:27 local | St Apollo grounded at Eilean Rubha an Ridire. |
| 2015-08-24 03:38 local | The skipper notified Stornoway Coastguard. |
| 2015-08-24 04:35 local | The crew abandoned into a liferaft and transferred to the Oban lifeboat. |
| 2015-08-24 05:05 local | The vessel toppled onto its starboard side. |
| 2015-09-15 | St Apollo was salvaged and later declared a constructive total loss. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of heading control | Suspected | Loss of satellite-compass input to the autopilot was the most likely equipment explanation, but the cause could not be determined. |
| Poor position monitoring | Confirmed finding | The watchkeeper used the fish plotter at an unsuitable scale and did not recognize that the vessel was moving north of the intended track. |
| Ineffective emergency reaction | Confirmed finding | The watchkeeper reduced speed and called the skipper but did not steer toward safe water or put the engine astern. |
| Low state of arousal | Confirmed finding | Disrupted sleep, a quiet watch and remaining seated reduced the watchkeeper's alertness. |
| Limited watchkeeper competence | Confirmed finding | The watchkeeper lacked sufficient understanding of navigation marks, the magnetic compass and the vessel's steering systems for the confined night passage. |
Investigation
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigated the casualty in report 14/2016. It concluded that the grounding resulted from navigational error, equipment malfunction or both, and that the heading-control failure could not be resolved because positional records and physical evidence were unavailable. MAIB found the skipper's post-grounding response timely and generally well considered, while noting that better securing of watertight openings might have reduced the flooding consequences.