Tug boat crew died after things went 'dreadfully wrong' within seconds off Greenock

Two tug boat crew members died after things went “dreadfully wrong” within seconds in waters off Greenock, an investigation has found.

The Biter capsized and sank on February 24, 2023, while assisting the passenger vessel Hebridean Princess as it approached James Watt Dock.

The two crew members aboard the tug died in the incident after the boat capsized “within ten seconds”.

The bodies of George Taft, 65, from Greenock, and Ian Catterson, 73, from Millport, were removed from the water on February 25, 2023, almost 24 hours after the boat sank in the Firth of Clyde.

The Biter capsized and sank on February 24, 2023, off Greenock. @Gordo2k6/Twitter

An investigation by the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that the incident happened after a “breakdown of systems” that should have kept Mr Catterson and Mr Taft safe.

Fourteen issues were found to have contributed to the accident, including the speed of the cruise ship, which almost certainly caused an “essential” safety rope to break.

The report on the incident that found an open hatch on the tug boat “compromised” its watertight integrity and “limited the crew’s chance of survival”.

“Tug Biter’s accident was another cruel lesson of how rapidly things can go dreadfully wrong”
Andrew Moll OBE, chief inspector of marine accidents

MAIB added that the marine pilot’s training had not prepared them to work with conventional tugs like the Biter.

It was found that the speed of the Hebridean Princess placed an excessive load on the MV Biter’s gob rope – the rigging that keeps a tugboat from capsizing – causing it to break.

The capsize and sinking of the tug Biter led to the loss of two lives off Greenock, February 24, 2023. Marine Accident Investigation Branch

It was also highlighted that the cruise ship’s master and tug masters did not have a “shared understanding” of the Clydeport pilot’s plan and couldn’t challenge his intentions.

It said it was unclear whether anyone understood the “extreme risks” associated with the MV Biter’s manoeuvre behind the cruise ship.

The MAIB added that the tug’s rapid capsize meant the crew had insufficient time to release its towlines.

Andrew Moll OBE, chief inspector of marine accidents, said the incident was a “cruel lesson” in how quickly things can go wrong.

“In less than ten seconds, the tug capsized, and two experienced seafarers lost their lives because of a breakdown of the systems that should have kept them safe,” he said.

Mr Moll added that small tugboats are an “essential” part of UK port operations but said the vulnerabilities of the vessels “must be understood by those that operate and control them”.

“Harbour authorities, ship and tug masters, and pilots should collectively own this risk,” he said.

“Pilots and tug crews must be suitably trained and experienced for their roles, and they must share a detailed understanding of the towage plan before they start the job.”

He continued: “Speed, which has an exponential effect on towing forces, must be carefully controlled and the lines correctly set.

“Everyone involved must then monitor the execution of the plan and, if needed, act to keep everyone safe.”