News

Following the deaths of two seamen aboard a ship travelling through the English Channel on 18 January 2008 and another four seafarers on ships in separate incidents during the past twelve months, urgent safety recommendations have been issued by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

In the Channel incident the 300-foot ship Sava Lake was carrying ferrous metal from Denmark to Portugal. It was forced to dock at Dover's Western Docks following the tragedy.

The ship’s crew alerted Dover Coastguard  when the deceased were discovered. The ship berthed in Dover shortly after.

Investigators said the chief officer entered the store to try and rescue the men but soon had to leave when he became short of breath and his vision narrowed. The two seamen were believed to have been asphyxiated.

The store was next to the vessel’s forward cargo hold containing steel turnings.

When tested, the air in the cargo hold contained only 6 percent oxygen.

In another incident last month an experienced seaman died on board the cruise ship Saga Rose berthed at Southampton.

Reports on the fatalities on board the Saga Rose and Sava Lake are due to be published upon completion of the MAIB investigations.