Marine / Opportune sank due to uncontrollable engine room flooding, MAIB finds
THE MARITIME and Coastguard Agency has been advised to update its guidance on the management of seawater pipework in fishing vessels after corrosion of such pipework was established as the most likely reason for the loss of the Lerwick registered whitefish trawler Opportune (LK209).
The 24-metre vessel with eight crew on board sank in the early hours of 24 March 2024, around 36 miles east of Shetland.
The crew had abandoned ship after it became clear that they had no chance to stop, or control, the ingress of water.
There was a force six northerly wind, and the vessel was rolling in a two metre swell.
The crew were later rescued uninjured from the vessel’s liferaft by coastguard helicopters from Sumburgh and Norway. The Lerwick lifeboat was also launched.
The vessel sank quickly and was not recovered. In a report published this morning (Thursday), the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the vessel foundered due to rapid and uncontrolled engine room flooding.
And although inspectors were unable to exactly identify the source of the flood, they said a failure of the vessel’s seawater pipework was the most likely cause.
The report describes how the mate had gone to the engine room at about 4.45am to investigate a bilge alarm and found water ingress that had already reached the Opportune’s gearbox.
Skipper Grant Irvine was informed and the decision was made that it was unsafe to enter the engine room.
Preparations to abandon ship were made and all eight crew were in the starboard side liftraft by 5.30am.
Skipper Irvine was last autumn awarded the prestigious Lady Swaythling prize by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society for his outstanding seamanship in saving the lives of his entire crew.
The Opportune had been on her way to Peterhead when the accident happened after an issue with the stern seal had led to the vessel stopping fishing northeast of Shetland and instead proceed to the mainland port for inspection of her tailshaft.
In its report, the MAIB said there was no opportunity for the flood to be contained once the engine room became unsafe to enter because the vessel’s sea inlet valves and electric bilge pumps could not be operated from outside the space.
The report said: “The investigation determined that Opportune foundered due to an uncontrolled engine room flood.
“The source of the flood could not be definitively established but the most likely cause was failure of the vessel’s seawater pipework, some of which could have been in place since the 26-year-old vessel was built.”
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been recommended to update its guidance to its surveyors, fishing vessel owners and crew on the management of seawater pipework in existing vessels.
Surveyors are advised to pay particular attention to hull plate thickness, watertight bulkheads, ship’s side valves, bilge alarms and pipework.
The owner of the vessel has been recommended to ensure that its crews understand the seawater pipework system and regularly drill their response to a flood.
Today’s MAIB report comes ten months after the fishing company took delivery of the new Opportune (LK209), formerly Conquest BCK364, refurbished at the Macduff shipyard.
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