Alcohol abuse blamed for Lysblink Seaways grounding

摘要

A Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the grounding of Lysblink Seaways off the west coast of Scotland in February 2015 has revealed systemic alcohol abuse and non-compliance with the vessel's safety management system. The 7,409 gt general cargo ship spent almost two days stuck on the foreshore near Kilchoan, on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, during bad weather. It had been travelling from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Skogn, Norway. After its hull was breached, 25 tonnes of fuel leaked into the sea. The ship was later declared a constructive loss and scrapped. According the report, the officer of the watch (OOW), who was also chief officer, had consumed about half a litre of rum in the hours before coming on watch at 00.00, as a result of a private telephone call that caused him some anxiety. At about 02.12, the OOW's growing lack of situational awareness caused him to miss a scheduled alteration of course. Despite a late attempt to swing the vessel clear it struck the rocks 20 minutes later.