Exhausted sailors working 98 hour weeks are regularly falling asleep at the helm, turning their ships into “unguided missiles” which could cause a major disaster off the UK coast, an independent watchdog warns.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said it was only a matter of time before a “catastrophic accident” took place in UK waters. It called on the Government to take immediate action to ensure that ships were properly manned. In its latest report, the MAIB cited the example of the cargo vessel Antari which ran aground on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland in June last year.
The officer of the watch, who was alone on duty, fell asleep for three hours and was only woken when the 88 metre vessel, carrying 2,360 tons of scrap, had beached itself. Nearly three quarters of the hull was damaged and dented, while the grounding had punctured the bottom of the ship. The MAIB discovered that the officer had been working six hours on, six hours off for the previous three and a half months. He had fallen asleep in the wheelhouse almost as soon as he had taken over the watch shortly after midnight on a warm June 29 in calm seas.
Stephen Meyer, chief inspector of the MAIB, said the unrelenting shift patterns were “as close to slavery that we have in the UK”. He said: “People are working 98 hour weeks, week after week and they do not have a single night’s sleep in that time. “They never get more than five hours and the cumulative effect is enormous.”
Persons working at sea or offhsore are covered by different laws than those that protect their shore-side counterparts. They are covered by federal and state maritime laws and if you or someone you know has been involved in a maritime accident such as the one mentioned above, you need an attorney well-versed in maritime laws. Walker & Crawford are here to help.
James Walker is rated one of the top personal injury lawyers in Houston by Inside Houston Magazine and has over 29 years of experience fighting for your rights. We are here to help you with your maritime claims or any personal injury claims you or your family might have.
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