Close-quarters situation between ro-ro passenger ferry Pride of Cherbourg and general cargo vessel Briarthorn
Location: Eastern Solent off the south coast of England.
Accident Investigation Report 4/2002
Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened, actions taken and subsequent recommendations:
(342.84 kb)
Summary
At 2040 UTC on 7 February 2001 the passenger ro-ro ferry Pride of Cherbourg and the cargo ship Briarthorn came within about 80 metres of each other in the vicinity of the Warner buoy.
Safety Issues
- poor watchkeeping on Briarthorn which resulted in an inaccurate and scanty means used to assess if risk of collision existed
- Pride of Cherbourg’s master believed he was to keep clear of vessels in the main channel in accordance with his belief in the existence of a local “custom and practice” and that Briarthorn would not alter her course to starboard
- Pride of Cherbourg was not aware there was no pilot on board Briarthorn
Recommendations
Our report makes recommendations which, if implemented, will reduce the possibility of a recurrence of this incident.
This report was published in February 2002.
Published 23 January 2015