This is just outside of our area but I am sharing it here because it has some important safety messages that are a valuable reminder for everybody.

“At 0026 on 6 August 2017, the 5.64m recreational motor cruiser James 2 and the 26.24m commercial fishing vessel Vertrouwen collided in Sussex Bay,
1.6 miles south-east of Shoreham harbour (Figure 1). Both vessels were undamaged by the impact but James 2 was swamped by Vertrouwen’s wash and sank (Figure 2). Three of the men on board the motor cruiser drowned; a fourth was rescued from the water 5 hours later by a passing fishing vessel. James 2 was drifting with the wind and tide while the four men on board were rod fishing for mackerel; Vertrouwen had just left port and was on passage to Grimsby.

The collision occurred because Vertrouwen’s lone watchkeeper did not see James 2 and, by the time the sea anglers realised the danger they were in, they were unable to get out of the way. James 2 sank because it did not have the internal subdivision or built-in buoyancy necessary to keep it afloat in the flooded condition. The three sea anglers drowned because they were not wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs) (lifejackets or buoyancy aids) and were unable to raise the alarm; the fourth sea angler was extremely fortunate to have survived.”

More details and recommendations here (including notes about the splash-well, lights, drinking and watch-keeping)

James2-Vertrouwen_SeaAnglersFlyer