Capsize and crew death were avoidable, investigation finds

A grainy image of the Njord's crew standing on its upturned hull. Photo: MAIB safety flier, courtesy of SAR helicopter.

The crew of a vessel which sank between Shetland and Norway were fishing with unauthorised modifications, hauling too large a catch and not wearing lifejackets when they capsized – according to an accident investigation report published this morning (Thursday).

The Njord, formerly Courageous when she sailed out of Shetland, sunk on 6th March 2022 roughly 100 miles west of Norway. All eight crew entered the water; one deckhand died.

“It is almost certain that Njord would not have capsized had the vessel been operated in line with the assumptions made in the stability book,” the report, prepared by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), reads.

“The deckhand drowned because he was not wearing a PFD when he entered the water after Njord sank.”

The Njord‘s crew were fishing out of Peterhead in “benign” conditions when they pulled in what, for many of them, was the largest single catch they had ever seen – the equivalent of more than 700 boxes.

They brought the catch round to starboard to begin hauling it in, but there was too much fish to sort, gut and store at once.

So the crew removed their floatation devices to go below deck and begin processing some fish.

By that time the remaining fish off to starboard began tilting the boat towards the water gradually, until it was listing as much as 20 degrees.

While the crew were already bailing water out of a passageway on the starboard side of the boat, the skipper “keen to load the catch on board as quickly as possible” told them to haul more fish in to sort.

The crew came back up without putting their flotation devices back on, as the vessel continued to lean into the water.

By the time the skipper noticed the net had actually sunk back into the water, and began trying to cut it free with a knife, it was too late.

Because MAIB already recommends vessels are not modified without consulting the coastguard, and that crew wear floatation devices while on deck, the report did not include any recommendations to avoid similar accidents in the future.

• Read the full story in this week’s issue of The Shetland Times, out Friday 14th February.