Great Yarmouth boat death: operator told to make major improvements after woman drowns
Laura Perry suffered serious injuries and drowned in August 2020
The operator of a motor cruiser on the River Bure in Great Yarmouth has been told to make major safety improvements after a woman fell overboard and drowned.
38 year old Laura Perry, from London, fell into the water after the stern of the Diamond Emblem 1 hit an embankment on 19 August 2020.
She became entangled in a rope and the propeller, suffering multiple injuries and subsequently drowning.
An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) last year called for changes to the hire boat code and design changes to make accidents less likely.
In its final report into the circumstances surrounding what happened, the MAIB found multiple safety issues which may have contributed to Laura's death.
It found there wasn't an adequate guardrail on the sterm which might have prevented someone falling in.
There were also issues with the driver's ability to control the boat from the upper helm position, with a lever set incorrectly.
Nobody on board fully understood the dual-helm controls on the boat and the driver was unaware the engine could be cut off from their position.
The MAIB also found the group who hired the boat weren't given a sufficient handover and instructions to make sure they could pilot the boat properly.
The Diamond Emblem 1 also didn't meet several essential safety requirements, with major issues with the boat's design.
The Broads Authority has been told to make VisitEngland accreditation a requirement of giving licences to hire boat operators.
The owner of the Diamond Emblem as also been told to improve its handover procedures and make several design changes to the craft.
Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, said:
“Boating holidays provide an excellent way of experiencing the UK’s network of inland waterways and the vast majority of the many trips completed each year are safe and uneventful.
"However, this tragic accident demonstrates that boating is not without risk. A serious situation can quickly develop from benign circumstances if adequate precautions are not in place to mitigate the risks associated with controlling the boat and preventing people from falling overboard.
“Large motor cruisers with sophisticated controls are becoming increasingly common and are often driven by members of the public who have limited or no proficiency in boat handling.
"It is imperative that complex multi helm controls incorporate appropriate technical features and indications to minimise the likelihood of an inadvertent loss of control.
"Adequate protection around exposed deck areas is equally important in ensuring that no one falls into the water.
"Furthermore, handovers, including in-water demonstrations, and hire boat documentation need to be complete and rigorous in order to ensure that hirers have sufficient proficiency to safely handle the vessel in their charge."