A fishing company must pay more than £100,000 after a highly modified boat capsized off the Sussex coast, causing the deaths of two people onboard.
On 21 November, 2020, Robert Morley, Adam Harper and David Bickerstaff were onboard the Joanna C, five miles south of Newhaven, when the vessel’s gear snagged on the seabed.Out of the three crew members, only Mr Bickerstaff survived.Credit: Marine Accident Investigation Branch. West Hampshire Magistrates Court hear that extensive changes made to Joanna C, not approved by the MCA, made it significantly non-compliant with the minimum standards of stability.
Mark Cam, Senior Investigator with the MCA, said: “This is a tragic reminder that modifications to vessels should be planned and their effects on the vessel’s stability properly investigated using appropriate professionals.