Trawler Capsizes Off Scotland Crew Without Life Jackets One Dead

A fishing boat sunk off the coast of Scotland. Sadly, one crew member died. The report says eight crewmen did not wear life jackets. Pictures show the men on the boat’s hull, waiting for rescue.

This incident happened in March 2022. Ronald MacKinnon, a deckhand, died. He was 56. The report found changes to the boat caused it to tip. It flooded while hauling a big catch of fish.

None of the crew had safety gear, and they could not send an alert. The boat went down near Peterhead. The survivors were saved only because the emergency beacon floated free. It alerted rescue teams quickly.

The report stated the crew lacked flotation devices. None had a way to call for help. Luckily, the beacon worked. A helicopter and boat arrived to help those in danger.

The helicopter got there in 45 minutes. The boat sunk soon after, and all eight crew ended up in the cold water. The boat’s life rafts never surfaced after capsizing. The helicopter rescued three crew members.

Sadly, one man died despite medic efforts. The other five crew got rescued from the nearby vessel. The boat, Njord, sailed from Peterhead harbor. It was heading back when trouble began.

The incident happened west of Norway. There was no radio contact from Njord, and it used to be called Courageous. The catch’s weight made the boat tip over far. Water then entered one of the internal spaces.

The skipper tried to cut the net with a knife in an attempt to stop the boat. He could not send a mayday call because water rose fast, hurting the radio’s battery.

The crew felt the rescue helicopter stayed too long, saying it was between 7 and 20 minutes. However, evidence showed it was actually closer to only four minutes. The brain processes time differently during trauma. This affects how long things seem to be, which is why they felt the hovering took longer.

In 2021, workers did changes to the boat Njord. The maritime agency saw no blueprints or assessments. The changes reduced its capacity to stay floating if turned over.

The report made no new suggestions to the industry. Existing rules cover boat changes and vests already. Reduced stability plus conditions led to capsize.

People called Mr. MacKinnon “Noggins”. Friends and family described him as kind. They also mentioned how skilled he was at fish jobs.