Report on work accident on board Fugløybuen northwest of Tromsø on 18 April 2021
Marine report 2022/07
On 18 April 2021, a very serious occupational accident occurred in connection with hauling the trawl on board the fishing vessel ‘Fugløybuen’. One of the crew was positioned in the corner of the net bin on the aft deck to handle the gear that was on its way in, when the neckbolt of the crane arm, with a power block attached to hold the net, broke. The damaged crane with the power block then dragged aft due to the seine catch that was still in the sea. This resulted in one of the fishermen getting stuck between the power block and the aft bulwark, and later perished from the injuries. The NSIA believes that high loads during the last phase of the haul, in combination with a weak adhesion weld, have led to the crane breaking at a time when the load-bearing area was no longer sufficient to prevent a fracture.
The fact that the power block crushed the fisherman aft towards the bulwark cladding indicates that the crane has been exposed to horizontal forces from the net and the net bag with fish, in addition to the vertical forces from both the weight of the power block and the gear.
Technical investigations have shown that the neck bolt and its attachment gave way as a result of the deficient adhesion of the weld. The load-bearing area was therefore reduced due to the welding error, which probably led to the load being exceeded in relation to the remaining load-bearing area at the time of the accident.
As the crane was manufactured 20 years ago, it has been challenging to determine whether other cranes have been sold with the same welding error. Despite the crane manufacturer's test procedures, similar errors may have occurred. It is unclear to the NSIA whether this type of production error only applies to this individual crane or whether it may apply to others, as this has not been mapped as part of this investigation.
It is challenging to avoid the crane's danger zone on board smaller vessels where the workplace on the aft deck is rather limited. The crane arrangement on the vessel made it difficult to work outside the hazardous area. The investigation has not found that the breach can be directly attributed to incorrect use of the crane.
Published 29.06.2022
Facts
| Location | Approx. 50 n miles northwest of Tromsø |
| Occurrence date | 18.04.2021 |
| Accident category | Personal injury |
| Area | Norwegian Territorial Waters |
| Name of vessel | Fugløybuen |
| Accident type | Fatal Accident, Occupational accident |
| Vessel type | Fishing Vessel |
| Register | The Norwegian Ship Register |