The loss of a motor vessel could have been avoided if effective passage planning had been followed.
The UK registered motor vessel Channel Queen grounded in July 2023 as it passed over the wreck of the steam ship Varvassi near the Needles lighthouse on the Isle of Wight.
The vessel was escorting a relay swim event around the island and was subsequently deliberately beached in the nearby Scratchell’s Bay.
The passengers and crew transferred to the vessel’s rigid inflatable boat and liferaft and were then transferred to a RNLI lifeboat.
Channel Queen was later declared a total loss.
In only slightly different circumstances, the outcome could have been much more serious.
chief inspector of marine accidents, Andrew Moll
An investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found there was no charted navigational passage plan; effective use was not being made of the available navigation equipment to execute a safe passage and the qualified skipper had left the vessel to a kayak before Channel Queen grounded. In addition, the Channel Queen was being driven by its owner who was insufficiently qualified to be in command and attempting to deal with multiple distractions single-handedly.
“Once the hull of Channel Queen was holed it was fortunate that the boat was beached before it could sink, which gave the occupants time to disembark safely,” said chief inspector of marine accidents, Andrew Moll OBE. “In only slightly different circumstances, the outcome could have been much more serious.”
He added: “The four stages of passage planning: appraisal, planning, execution and monitoring, are well tried and tested.
“Had they been followed during this event, particularly as Channel Queen was operating very close inshore, the accident could have been avoided.”
The vessel was being operated by Swimon Proprietary Limited.
