January - March 2026
There were 336 reported incidents involving domestic commercial vessels in Quarter 1 of 2026. Of these, 45 were serious and 1 very serious.
- In January,128 reported marine incidents were received, 19 were serious and 1 very serious.
- In February, 91 reported marine incidents were received, 12 were serious.
- In March, 117 marine incidents were reported, 14 were serious.
Very serious and serious incidents containing sensitive information or information that may identify individual persons or vessels have not been included below.
January
Very serious incidents
| State | Vessel type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Class 2 | Vessel was underway as water ingress was discovered in the bilge. All crew boarded the life raft and the vessel sank. |
Serious incidents
| State | Vessel type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Class 1 | Vessel made contact with the wharf during approach. Master and passenger both sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. |
| NSW | Class 4 | Passenger struck head on the tender motor after a wave rocked the vessel. Passenger was taken to hospital for treatment. |
| NT | Class 2 | Crew member slipped on a pontoon while the vessel was berthed and fell into the water. Crew member was wearing a lifejacket and immediately recovered. No injuries were reported. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Crew member fell as the vessel was underway striking their back. Crew received medivac to hospital for assessment. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Crew member sustained a crush injury to their hand while changing a fuel pump on the starboard forward main engine. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Crew member sustained a crush injury to their hand whilst completing maintenance work as vessel experienced movement in a small swell. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Starboard main engine propulsion was lost while approaching the inlet and was restored by manual throttle input after a battery failure. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Crew member was assisting on a pilot ladder as a large wave struck. Crew member fell onto the deck of the pilot vessel and was transferred to hospital for treatment. |
| QLD | Class 2 | A lithium‑ion battery exploded while the vessel was underway. One crew sustained burns to the arm, while a second crew was uninjured. Vessel sustained fire and smoke damage. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Passenger fell from a jet ski after striking a wave during a guided tour. The passenger received a medevac to hospital for treatment. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Crew member fell overboard during a rescue operation when a wave struck the vessel. The crew member was wearing a lifejacket and was recovered. A second crew member sustained a hand injury during the recovery. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Vessel took on water requiring crew to abandon ship. Water Police rescued the two crew and the vessel was recovered. No injuries or damage reported. |
| QLD | Class 4 | A recreational vessel collided with a jet ski while underway after failing to give way. Both jet ski occupants entered the water wearing lifejackets. No injuries or damage reported. |
| Vic | Class 2 | Crew member sustained a partial amputation to their thumb when it was caught between a bollard and a tie‑up rope during berthing. The crew member was transported to hospital for treatment. |
| WA | Class 1 | Passenger fell overboard during a ship‑to‑ship transfer. The passenger was wearing a lifejacket and recovered with no injuries. |
| WA | Class 1 | While underway, the vessel yawed down a wave and collided with a starboard lateral marker. Temporary repairs were completed. |
| WA | Class 2 | Crew member slipped from a gangway during a ship‑to‑ship transfer and entered the water. The seafarer was recovered by a second vessel after initial recovery attempts were unsuccessful. |
| WA | Class 2 | Vessel lost starboard thruster power due to a loose connection, resulting in a collision with another vessel. Repairs were completed, and the vessel was returned to service. |
| WA | Class 4 | Four people became stranded at sea on hired kayaks and paddleboards. One child swam approximately four kilometres to shore for assistance. The remaining persons were recovered, and the child was treated for exhaustion. |
February
| State | Vessel type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Class 1 | Recreational vessel collided with sailing vessel while tacking. The collision occurred at approximately 5 knots, resulting in structural damage to both vessels. No injuries or persons overboard reported. |
| NSW | Class 1 | Vessel experienced a control failure while underway. The vessel returned to port and passengers were disembarked. |
| NT | Class 1 | Vessel grounded during delayed crane operations and a falling tide despite under‑keel clearance monitoring. Attempts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful. |
| NT | Class 2 | Salt water entered No. 7 freshwater tank, and the vessel developed a port list. The source of the water ingress has not been determined. |
| NT | Class 2 | Vessel was underway as the second generators power output began fluctuating. During disengagement the generator began sparking, producing heat and smoke. A CO2 extinguisher was deployed and crew received monitoring for smoke inhalation. |
| QLD | Class 1 | A pontoon was torn from the riverbank, carrying three moored vessels downstream. One vessel capsized and was later salvaged. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Vessel was struck by rogue wave. Master was thrown overboard and recovered safely. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Vessel experienced a steering failure resulting in loss of control. The vessel was towed back to port. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Crew member received crush injury to thumb while letting go lines during departure from berth. Crew member transported to hospital for treatment. |
| SA | Class 2 | Vessel collided the port bow of a barge during an assist operation and subsequently capsized. The operator entered the water wearing a lifejacket and was recovered uninjured. |
| WA | Class 1 | Vessel made contact with a bombie and sustained hull damage. Temporary repairs were completed. |
| WA | Class 3 | Vessel struck a small reef and began taking on water. A salvage operation was required. |
March
| State | Vessel type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| NT | Class 2 | Vessel made repeated contact with the wharf fendering during a weather event. Starboard gunwale received significant damage. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Vessel broke free from its mooring and struck a ferry travelling upstream. The upstream cable was damaged, and the ferry was displaced from the embankment. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Vessel experienced a total loss of propulsion during battery isolation. The vessel made low‑speed contact with a bridge. Minor hull damage sustained. |
| QLD | Class 1 | Vessel grounded while embarking passengers and could not be refloated. Passengers were disembarked. The engine later failed and the vessel remained aground on the outgoing tide. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Vessel became grounded on a reef whilst departing channel and was unable to refloat without assistance. |
| QLD | Class 2 | Vessel became grounded on a sand bank at low tide in a river. Another vessel assisted in refloating the vessel. |
| QLD | Class 3 | A dory capsized, resulting in a crew member entering the water. The crew member clinging to the overturned vessel was rescued, and no medical or further assistance was required. |
| QLD | Class 3 | Crew member fell overboard during anchor retrieval after water was taken over the bow. The crew member was wearing a lifejacket. |
| QLD | Class 3 | Vessels outboard engine caught fire while at anchor. Fire extinguishers were deployed and crew entered the water. All crew were wearing lifejackets and recovered by a passing vessel. |
| VIC | Class 2 | While conducting a man overboard drill using a buoy, a crew member fell overboard. The crew member was wearing a lifejacket and recovered with minor injuries. |
| WA | Class 2 | Crew member fell overboard whilst transferring from the vessel to the barge it was secured to. Crew member was wearing a lifejacket and retrieved themselves from the water. No injuries reported. |
| WA | Class 2 | Crew member received an electric shock to their hand and forearm while washing down the vessel alongside. |
| WA | Class 3 | JRCC Australia received an EPIRB activation from the vessel. The sole occupant was recovered from a life raft after the vessel sank. No injuries were reported. |