Woman and two dogs missing after boat crash off Suffolk/Essex coast

[Cantata]

That is indeed an S31 - I have one myself - and I understand from a berth holder in SYH that this is the boat involved, although I do not know the owners.
Terrible thing to happen. And very sobering.

 

[DavidofMersea]

I wonder what happened to the second dog. I believe a dog could survive much longer in the water than a human, if that is so, and it is/was in the water, it might be lucky and drift/swim ashore - but then where would it go? I recall several years ago someone from Mersea lost a dog overboard in the Blackwater, and it came ashore in Bradwell. Fortunately the dog was wearing a life jacket and it had his owners telephone number on it

 

[Cantata]

According to the BBC Look East prog I watched this evening, the second dog was also found by divers inside the boat.

 

[Gargleblaster]

I keep comparing this accident with the loss of the 'Ouzo' out of Bembridge in the Solent. Most of my information comes from this forum. But it would appear that both accidents may have happened after the P&O Ferry in the Ouzo accident and the Dredger in this incident turned from their course. I know the number of times that I have looked out under my genoa and said to myself 'we will clear that other vessel'. One probably relaxes at that stage not expecting the other vessel to turn across your path. Once again proving the dangers of assumptions. I don't know that that is what happened in this case but constant vigilance is necessary around other vessels.

There was some discussion on AIS. I have an AIS receiver that has a wonderful alarm [Radio Ocean RO4800], which I tend to turn off in busy shipping areas as the alarm is going constantly. And I then rely on my eyesight to avoid collisions. The first time I went into Dover with the AIS Alarm on I probably woke up the whole town as it takes about 5 secs to turn the alarm off and I was not getting that length of time between alarms. I now regret not buying an AIS transponder as I feel it equalizes the responsibility of avoiding collisions for the electronically dependent.

A very sad event and a cautionary tale for us all.

 

[sailorman]

From the BBC website
A woman whose body was recovered after a collision between a yacht and a dredger off the Suffolk coast has been named by police.
The body of Bernadine Ingram, 57, from Butley, near Woodbridge, was found on Monday, near the site of the collision five miles off Felixstowe.

 

[tillergirl]

According to the BBC Look East prog I watched this evening, the second dog was also found by divers inside the boat.

I rather fear the lady went below to save the dog and was then overcome as the Yacht sank. No doubt things will become clearer after the investigation.

 

[maby]

I keep comparing this accident with the loss of the 'Ouzo' out of Bembridge in the Solent. Most of my information comes from this forum. But it would appear that both accidents may have happened after the P&O Ferry in the Ouzo accident and the Dredger in this incident turned from their course. I know the number of times that I have looked out under my genoa and said to myself 'we will clear that other vessel'. One probably relaxes at that stage not expecting the other vessel to turn across your path. Once again proving the dangers of assumptions. I don't know that that is what happened in this case but constant vigilance is necessary around other vessels.

There was some discussion on AIS. I have an AIS receiver that has a wonderful alarm [Radio Ocean RO4800], which I tend to turn off in busy shipping areas as the alarm is going constantly. And I then rely on my eyesight to avoid collisions. The first time I went into Dover with the AIS Alarm on I probably woke up the whole town as it takes about 5 secs to turn the alarm off and I was not getting that length of time between alarms. I now regret not buying an AIS transponder as I feel it equalizes the responsibility of avoiding collisions for the electronically dependent.

A very sad event and a cautionary tale for us all.

The AIS alarms can be a pain, but getting run down is a far greater pain! I wind the alarm radius in tight, grit my teeth and keep on cancelling them.

 

[sailorman]

The AIS alarms can be a pain, but getting run down is a far greater pain! I wind the alarm radius in tight, grit my teeth and keep on cancelling them.

Mk 1 eye ball is easier in clear viz

 

[maby]

Mk 1 eye ball is easier in clear viz

Short handed with a large genoa up, it leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[sailorman]

Short handed with a large genoa up, it leaves a lot to be desired.

I am always short handed as are many more of us

 

[greylag]

I am always short handed as are many more of us

But not everyone is as gifted or knowledgeable as you.

 

[sailorman]

But not everyone is as gifted or knowledgeable as you.

Quite

 

[maby]

But not everyone is as gifted or knowledgeable as you.

If the survivor of this accident had AIS fitted and the alarm muted, I'm pretty sure he is seriously regretting it now!

 

[Athene V30]

I am always short handed as are many more of us

+1

But not everyone is as gifted or knowledgeable as you.

Not about being gifted or knowledge it is moving about the cockpit, looking under the sail & looking behind you regularly.

 

[dogleg]

I rather fear the lady went below to save the dog and was then overcome as the Yacht sank. No doubt things will become clearer after the investigation.

that has been suggested

 

[MoodySabre]

If the survivor of this accident had AIS fitted and the alarm muted, I'm pretty sure he is seriously regretting it now!

He must have been very near the dredger before it was a danger so any alarm would have already sounded. AIS that close to land and known shipping lanes would hardly be necessary - eyeball would be more useful. It's all very sad and we will hopefully find out how it happened and learn from it.

 

[Elemental]

It's all very sad and we will hopefully find out how it happened and learn from it.

I absolutely agree.
I think there's an issue of familiarity sometimes too. Whenever I head off to France and end up near Dover (say) then I'm all over the boat looking and peering around sails, dodgers etc. The sprayhood is usually lowered to help. The AIS is fully enabled with alarms. Yet when I sail from Harwich, I'm somehow less concerned. It's easy to forget that your local venue (i.e. Harwich) is a very busy working port with large numbers of big vessels moving around. I, for one, will be redoubling my alertness when sailing locally.

 

[wingdiver]

Short handed with a large genoa up, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Shows the benefit of a higher cut sail for cruising.

 

[sailorman]

Shows the benefit of a higher cut sail for cruising.

Or sit on leeward side ( wheel steering ) when "On the Wind", one can see whats ahead & the tell tails

 

[Bru]

A very plausible scenario is that they saw the dredger before she started to turn slightly to starboard and assumed it would stay in the deep water channel

It would have been no more than five or six minutes from then to the collision.

This does assume that they were crossing the shipping channel

If they were inbound or outbound (which seems likely given their home port) I can't help but wonder what the hell they were doing in the South Channel - following the recommended route for small craft would have kept then safe

I must say that I'm a bit obsessed with sticking to the dashed line on the chart around Harwich / Felixstowe both when entering and leaving and when passing by. If I deviate off it into the shipping lanes I'm like a cat on a hot tin roof

Usually see one or more other yachts merrily bimbling around where the big ships, the tugs and the pilot boats play and more than once I've heard conversations on the VHF between the VTS and vessels working the harbour about pleasure craft being where they ideally didn't ought to be

That in no way exonerates the watchkeeper and lookout (assuming one was posted) on the dredger. Whatever else comes out in the news and reports it seems clear that both vessels must have failed to keep an adequate lookout

This tragedy is a stark reminder that our pastime isn't intrinsically safe and that a perfect day on the water can turn into disaster in minutes if we aren't careful