A sail training organisation has been recommended to review its training policies and procedures following the death of a volunteer relief cook.
The incident happened on the night of 2 October 2023 when Mark Glover fell from the top of the Pelican of London’s gangway into the water.
His absence was not noted until the next morning when a search was started. In the early afternoon of 3 October, police divers recovered the relief cook’s body to the quay where he was declared deceased.
The investigation found that the gangway was not rigged to provide safe access to Pelican of London as the arrangement of gangway guard ropes and safety net did not prevent the relief cook’s entry into the water.
The investigation also found that the relief cook was under the influence of alcohol when he fell and that risk assessments were not robust.
An investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) stated that Mark Glover was a 64-year-old professional seafarer who had served as a cook on dredgers.
He could swim and, although he was on board Pelican of London as a volunteer and was therefore not required to hold a seafarer medical fitness certificate, he held an ENG17 that limited his sea service to coastal waters.
He had a history of excessive alcohol use, type 2 diabetes and atrial fibrillation.
Sail training vessel
He lost his balance when returning on board as he went to step down from the inboard end of the gangway onto the top step of the bulwark ladder.
His fall aft was neither prevented by the guard ropes nor arrested by the gangway net. Under the influence of alcohol and probably suffering from cold water shock the relief cook was unable to climb out of the water and rapidly succumbed to drowning.
Pelican of London was a 34.6m mainmast barquentine sail training vessel, built in 1948 as a fishing trawler.
In 1995, the vessel was bought by the UK registered charity Adventure Under Sail (operating as Seas Your Future) and converted into a sail training vessel.
The vessel was crewed by a mix of permanent professional crew members and volunteers.
Recommendations have been made to Seas Your Future to review and amend policies, procedures and training for rigging and approving the gangway arrangement.
The MAIB also recommends the charity adapts its drugs and alcohol policy to include specific guidance for those returning on board from recreational time ashore.
