Marine Accident Investigation Branch releases report into crash which killed Emily Lewis and saw Michael Lawrence and Michael Howley, of Seadogz Ribs, stand trial

A crash on a high speed boat which killed a 15-year-old girl and saw two men from the New Forest stand trial was unlikely to have happened had “industry good practice” been followed, a report has revealed.

As reported in the A&T, Emily Lewis and her family had gone out for a "thrill ride" on Southampton Water with the Seadogz Ribs company on 22nd August 2020.

During the trip, the rib slammed into a 15ft tall buoy at high speed, flipping the front of the boat into the air and sending two passengers overboard. Emily suffered "unsurvivable" injuries and was rushed to Southampton General Hospital where she later died.

Following a trial at Winchester Crown Court earlier this year, Michael Lawrence of Blackfield, who was driving the boat, was found not guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence, but guilty of failing to maintain a proper lookout and failing to proceed at a safe speed.

Michael Howley of Hordle, the owner now defunct Seadogz, was convicted of not operating the boat safely.

This week, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch released its findings along with a raft of recommendations to tighten up safety on boats like the Seadogz vessel.

The MAIB report found the skipper did not see the marker in time to take “avoiding action” and this was “most likely” due to a “high mental workload” while driving the boat at high speed.

It said the seating and handholds on the vessel “afforded little protection” to passengers in the case of the boat having to rapidly decelerate. The rib’s operating company also did not have a “safety management system” and its risk assessments were “cursory and generic”.

The report said “significant limitations” were identified when it came to crash protection, seat design, forward visibility, and safety management system requirements.

As a result, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was recommended to develop a framework for assuring the protection of passengers and crew in vessels like the Seadogz rib, with respect to vibration and sudden decelerations in the event of a crash.

Operators and designers should then be made aware of the framework at the “earliest opportunity”.

The MAIB also said that operators of similar craft to that in the accident should implement a safety management system along with that of accident reporting and investigation procedures.

There should also be “appropriate” deck manning levels for the craft’s operations, and forward visibility from the helm position should be in alignment with industry standard.

The British Standards Institution was also recommended to revise its policy concerning the loading of passengers on a boat to ensure that the operator’s field of vision remains at “maximum” and that the forward visibility is “adequate and compliant with the standard”.

Associated British Ports, Southampton, was told to ensure its risk assessment considers the operation of high-speed commercial passenger craft within its limits.

Red Bay Boats, the rib manufacturer, was asked to conduct a risk-based review of the design of the craft and make sure the seats, handholds and restraints “meet the latest relevant industry guidance”.

Commenting on MAIB’s findings Captain Andrew Moll OBE, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: “The tragic events which took place in Southampton Water have had an unimaginable impact on all of those affected by the accident.

“The fact that a passenger excursion on a modern rigid inflatable boat being operated in favourable conditions by an appropriately qualified and highly experienced skipper could result in such terrible consequences is difficult to comprehend.”

He said “two things” were significant about the accident.

Captain Moll said: “The first is that the accident would likely not have happened had the trip been conducted in line with industry good practice. All skippers of commercial high-speed craft are taught safe boat handling while gaining their qualifications, and there is no excuse for abandoning professional standards when undertaking a high-speed trip or experience ride.

“The second is that passengers in small high-speed craft are very vulnerable to impact and vibration injuries. In the last 15 years, the MAIB has investigated numerous accidents involving high-speed passenger craft and made various recommendations to improve the safety of this sector.

“However, as yet, little has been done to provide proper protection to passengers and crew from these hazards that routinely result in life-changing injury and, occasionally, death.”