Crew 'not trained' to prevent Waverley paddle steamer crash into Arran pier that injured 24

Engineers aboard the world’s only seagoing paddle steamer weren’t trained to prevent the incident that led to it crashing into a pier on Arran injuring 21 passengers and three crew.

An investigation into the collision of the Waverley into the jetty at Brodick on September 3, 2020, found the “specific skills and techniques” required weren’t formally documented nor included in training.

While attempting to berth following a two-hour afternoon excursion along the Isle of Arran coast, the vessel made “heavy contact” with the pier.

Police, paramedics, coastguard and rescue helicopters were called to the scene. 21 of the 186 passengers and three of the 27 crew members sustained injuries due to the impact, with some airlifted to hospital on the mainland.

Investigators said many passengers were standing at the time of the crash and either fell to deck or hit fixtures on the boat as they were thrown forward.

Three passengers sustained serious back and pelvis injuries, and two of them were evacuated by helicopter to a mainland hospital.

The other passengers sustained cuts and bruises and four were were taken to a mainland hospital with nine treated at the local hospital on Arran.

The report states: “No impact warning or instruction to brace was broadcast and 24 of the passengers and crew were injured.

“This number might have been smaller had sufficient warning been given.”

The Waverley’s bow was buckled inwards by the impact, resulting in three holes in the bow plating above the waterline.

The report found the engine failed when trying to use to it to slow the ship on approach to the pier and could only be restarted too late.

The Waverley hit the concrete wall at the end of the pier at approximately 2.8 knots.

Police, paramedics, coastguard and rescue helicopters were called to the scene. STV News

The sailings for the rest of the 2020 season were cancelled, and the ship did not return to service until June the following year.

Four years after the crash, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the collision happened because the engine was slow to provide reverse propulsion after becoming “locked” at top dead centre – the top of the engine piston’s stroke.

“Dead centre events were a known phenomenon but they had only occurred infrequently. The chief engineer was unfamiliar with the system indicators that warned of a dead centre event or how to anticipate and prevent its occurrence,” the report stated.

Investigators found that the engineers controlling the engine could not fix the issue quick enough to prevent the crash, due to a lack of training.

The report found that Waverley Excursion Limited had lost more experienced engineers in the years preceding the accident.

This resulted in maintenance to the vessel being “undertaken with insufficient knowledge”.

“The specific skills and techniques needed to recognise and avoid the potential for a top dead centre event were neither formally documented within Waverley’s safety management system nor included in the training of the engineers,” the report stated.

“Waverley’s operational risk assessments did not effectively cover the hazards posed by manual control of the engine and the engine stopping dead centre during berthing manoeuvres.”

The MAIB said since the crash the ship’s operator, Waverley Excursions, has carried out an internal safety review of its management system.

This led to the creation of an electronic planned maintenance system, a requirement for all berthing activities to be fully risk-assessed and a competency-based training and development programme for engine and deck crew.

It has also added awareness of sudden movements while berthing to the passenger safety briefings.

The MAIB has made no recommendations to the company “in light of the actions taken and the time elapsed since the accident”.

Paul Semple, Waverley Excursions general manager, said: “I welcome the publication of the MAIB report and support its findings and conclusions.

“The report recognises the extensive work undertaken by Waverley Excursions since the incident back in 2020, including a full review of the safety management system.

“I am pleased to note that given the actions taken by the company and outlined in the report there are no recommendations made by the MAIB.”

He said this year passenger service is due to start in May and this season marks the 50th anniversary since the Waverley’s first sailing in preservation.