The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published its the MAIB Safety Digest 2024 spring edition. It features a varied collection of lessons learned from recent marine accidents involving vessels from the merchant, fishing and recreational sectors.

MAIB Safety Digest 2024 draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. It contains information that has been determined up to the time of issue.

The information is published to inform the merchant and fishing industries, the recreational craft community and the public of the general circumstances surrounding marine accidents and to draw out the lessons to be learned.

The sole purpose of the MAIB Safety Digest 2024 is to prevent similar accidents happening again. The content must necessarily be regarded as tentative and subject to alteration or correction if additional evidence becomes available. The articles do not assign fault or blame nor do they determine liability. The lessons often extend beyond the events of the incidents themselves to ensure the maximum value can be achieved.

Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Andrew Moll OBE, opens this edition by expressing his thanks to the writers of the introductions to the merchant, commercial fishing and recreational sections of this edition. Captain Hywel Pugh, relief skipper Dmitrijs Skripacevs and chair of the Association of Sail Training Organisations, Mark Todd, all bring their individual insights to improving safety, and their perspectives make compelling reading.

This digest contains two cautionary tales. The first, in article 21, describes a trainee suffering a propeller strike after falling overboard; and in the reprinted MAIB Safety Bulletin 3/2023 they report on a passenger suffering life-changing spinal injuries.

Download the report: UK-MAIBV-Safety-Digest-1-2024_2024_04-1