Pipework failure likely to have led to trawler's sinking, say investigators

The failure of a trawler's pipework is likely to have caused a "rapid and uncontrolled" flood in its engine room before it sank, accident investigators have said.

The Opportune's eight crew were rescued uninjured in the incident 36 miles (58km) east of Lerwick, Shetland, on 24 March 2024.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the source of the flood could not be established, but the "most likely" cause was a failure of the boat's seawater pipework.

Investigators said parts of the pipes were more than 20 years old, difficult to inspect and that corrosion may have gone unnoticed.

In a new report, the MAIB said the crew was unable to control the flood because seawater inlet valves were not easily accessible and electric bilge pumps could not be operated from outside the space.

It said: "Faced with a rapidly sinking vessel, the skipper raised the alarm and the crew abandoned ship in good time."

The MAIB has made safety recommendations, including that the Opportune's owners ensure its crews understand seawater pipework systems and regularly practise how to respond to a flood.