Vessel grounding demonstrates importance of wheelhouse alarms

Fishing vessels should be equipped with, and always use, electronic chart plotters and bridge-watch alarms to alert crew of dangers, including the watchkeeper falling asleep at the wheel.

A report by the UK Government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) into the grounding and constructive total loss of Crystal Stream on 6 June 2025 highlighted the dangers of watchkeeper fatigue, lack of safety management systems, and the need for alert systems.

The 1984-built, 18-m prawn trawler was sailing to Tarbert, Argyll, after completing a day of fishing, when it struck a rock causing water ingress into the cargo hold.

This collision shuddered the vessel and awoke the watchkeeping skipper, who decided to ground Crystal Stream on Barmore Island, Loch Fyne, to support emergency evacuation by the four crew members.

Crew safely evacuated onto the island on a liferaft and were rescued by the Tighnabruaich Royal National Lifeboat Institution inshore lifeboat.

During its investigation, the MAIB discovered the skipper did not use the vessel’s chart plotter, and there was no working bridge watch alarm unit in the wheelhouse to alert the crew if the watchkeeper failed to respond.

“The skipper, who was the lone watchkeeper at the time of the grounding, was highly likely fatigued due to the schedule in the week before the accident,” said the MAIB in its report.

“The vessel’s safety management was inadequate, failing to address key operational areas including navigational practices, risk assessments, and crew medical fitness.”

There was a lack of induction training for seafarers joining Crystal Stream, and a lack of regular drills, resulting in crew being unfamiliar with the vessels’ lifesaving equipment and emergency procedures.

“Operating alone for extended periods increased the risk of reduced alertness and micro-sleeping,” said the MAIB.