Fishing vessel hit rocks on Blasket Islands after crewman fell asleep

The FV Dearbhla, with five crew on board, struck rocks on the north-west shore of Inish na Bró while passing through the Blasket Sound on May 14. File picture: Dan Linehan

A fishing trawler crashed onto rocks on one of the Blasket Islands off the Kerry coast earlier this year after a crew member on board fell asleep at the wheel, an investigation has revealed.

A report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board said the accident might have been prevented if the crew did not have to leave the vessel’s wheelhouse to make a hot beverage.

The FV Dearbhla, with five crew on board, struck rocks on the north-west shore of Inish na Bró while passing through the Blasket Sound on May 14. It had been on a passage between Rossaveel, Co Galway and Howth, Co Dublin.

MCIB inspectors said the incident may also have been averted if the vessel’s passage through the Blasket Sound had been better supervised.

They said another factor was the crew member had switched off a watchkeeper alarm — a timer device that gives an audible sound if not pressed every 10 minutes to ensure watchkeepers stay alert.

Emergency services were not alerted as the crew was unharmed and the trawler was able to manoeuvre to deeper water where the extent of the damage was investigated.

It continued on its voyage to Howth, after the crew checked that there was no water entering below deck.

The vessel subsequently pulled into port at Castletownbere, Co Cork, for a more detailed examination after the boat’s owner was informed of the accident.

The inspection revealed that FV Dearbhla had suffered considerable damage to its stern, while the vessel was holed above the waterline under the bows.

The crew member who was steering the trawler at the time of the incident confirmed he had been fully rested before taking over his watch.

Alarm switched off

He told MCIB inspectors that he had switched off the watchkeeper alarm so as not to wake other crew in case it sounded if he was delayed while going below deck to make a cup of tea.

He forgot to turn the alarm back on when he returned to the wheelhouse and fell asleep a short time later.

The MCIB report said the incident could have resulted in serious injury or death to the crew and the loss of the vessel.

It recommended Transport Minister Eamon Ryan should remind owners and operators of vessels of the requirement that all crew should receive training on health and safety issues, particularly in relation to accident prevention.