What happened?
A passenger vessel travelling at speed collided with a cliff face resulting in serious injuries to passengers and major structural damage to the vessel. At the time of the incident, the vessel was travelling at a speed in excess of that required to safely navigate the narrow gap between the cliffs.
Prior to operating the vessel, the safety management system (SMS) required several steps to be taken to ensure practical and written assessments were undertaken by the master and relevant sign offs completed and recorded. There was no evidence that these elements of the SMS were met.
Safety message
Knowledge and understanding by all crew of a vessel’s SMS is part of a thorough induction process. Furthermore, implementing and complying with the SMS is crucial for ensuring the safety of a vessel, its crew and passengers. Both the master and owner have clear responsibilities in this regard.
Read the full marine safety lesson
Safety information on this topic
How to develop a safety management system | Australian Maritime Safety Authority
Risk management in the national system | Australian Maritime Safety Authority