Two people were injured during a lifeboat drill aboard new UK polar research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough.
The British Antarctic Survey has confirmed that on March 4th a lifeboat failed to deploy correctly during testing. The injuries were described as “minor”
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has launched an inquiry into the circumstances of the incident. MAIB said that the crewmembers were inside the lifeboat when it rolled onto its side and fell overboard during a launching drill at Loch Buie in Scotland.
Lifeboat and rescue boat drills have a record of being one of the most likely events to result in injuries to seafarers, up there with towing operations and pilot ladder boardings in the level of risk.
The IMO recently adopted new regulations on lifeboat and rescue boat drills, with the aim of giving seafarers more confidence in the reliability of IMO-mandated life-saving equipment.