Candles lit and left unattended in a yacht’s VIP suite caused a fire that resulted in the total loss of the vessel and $480,000 in damage to a Miami marina and adjacent vessels in 2019, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday in its Marine Accident Brief 21/17:

http://ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAB2117.pdf

No injuries were reported in connection with the December 18, 2019 fire aboard the 120-foot-long, 299-gross-ton, private yacht Andiamo, which was valued at the $6.3 million.

Firefighting resulted in flooding that led to the yacht capsizing onto its starboard side before coming to rest on the marina’s sea floor in about 27-feet of water. An oil-absorbent boom was deployed to minimize the environmental impact from an oil sheen. Adjacent vessels sustained smoke and heat damage and the marina’s nearby power pedestal and dock floats required repair, but the fire did not spread beyond the Andiamo.

Six crew members aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged Andiamo were preparing for the arrival of a guest of the owner while moored at the Island Gardens Deep Harbour Marina on pier B. The NTSB investigation revealed that during the preparations, two crewmembers reported lights throughout the lower level and the main salon were not working. Since the lighting issue was not resolved by the time the guest arrived, a member of the crew lit three candles, placing them on top of a wood veneer dresser directly below a porthole decorated with two curtains. The crew member extinguished one candle that was flickering, while the other two remained lit, and then departed the suite with the guest.

A few minutes later the crewmember opened the door to the main salon and saw a plume of black smoke about 4 feet high from the deck. Two crewmembers began yelling “Fire!” which the captain heard, and he proceeded to investigate, but he did not activate the general alarm, the NTSB said. Instead he instructed a crewmember to have everyone evacuate the yacht and to call for help. Despite the yacht being equipped with an integrated fire-detection and alarm system – consisting of smoke and thermal detectors and manual (pull-type) and audible alarms – the crew told investigators that they neither heard nor saw any fire alarms at that time. The intensity of the fire grew so quickly the crew could not safely initiate firefighting efforts and had to evacuate the vessel. 

The NTSB’s investigation revealed the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) reported on Oct. 2 the fire-detection and alarm system for the vessel was inoperable. Visits from ABS indicated that despite the crew’s repair attempts, the system and alarms were still not functioning over two months later, at the time of the fire. If fully functional, the fire-detection and alarm system would have alerted the crew of the fire’s location at its onset, which would have allowed for a direct response and fire-suppression efforts. Investigators determined the crew’s failure to complete timely repairs to the fire-detection system, known to be inoperable for two months, contributed to the severity of the fire.

“Candle usage on a vessel, whether attended or not, poses a fire risk,” the report said. “The abundance of flammable materials on board can allow a fire to quickly spread out of control.”

Marine Accident Brief 21/17 is available online on the NTSB website:

https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/pages/nr20210909.aspx

Bill Botham

Past Commander 

VPS

 

"Project Wave" revealed need for boater improvement

North Vancouver

2021-08-19 10:31 PDT

This past weekend’s ICBC/RCMP Project Wave event demonstrated a need for improvement among recreational boaters in North Vancouver. Specifically, police are reminding boaters to abide by Transport Canada rules and guidelines, to increase their knowledge of boating safety, and to better follow the principles of responsible marine craft operation.

"Of 61 boaters checked Sunday by North Van officers at the boat launch in Whay-Ah-Wichen (Cates Park), 15 were turned away because they did not have proper safety equipment or did not have a pleasure craft operator's license," said Sgt. Peter DeVries of the North Vancouver RCMP. "One boater who had his children with him was turned away because he had no life jackets at all," he said. As of September 15, 2009 all boaters are required to have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card in order to operate a powered watercraft. The law applies to all boaters and applies to a boat with any size motor — even an electric trolling motor.



The Detachment's marine patrol vessel spent the day patrolling the waters around Cates park. "Officers stopped and checked 20 additional boats," said DeVries. "We want people to know that every time we stop someone on the water, we're going to assess whether there is alcohol on board and if the operator has been drinking." While no impaired boaters were located during the event, police and ICBC are reminding everyone that drinking driving rules apply on the water just as they do on the road, and anyone leaving the water and getting behind the wheel should make sure they are within the legal limit  


A number of boaters were stopped for travelling too fast for the conditions. "The waters around Whay-Ah-Wichen are often full of swimmers, stand-up-paddleboards, and boaters in small craft such as canoes and dinghies," said DeVries. "Boaters simply have to be aware, careful, and travel slowly through these high-use areas."

While there are generally no posted speed limits on the water, (with a few exceptions such as marinas and other controlled waterways), there are rules governing boating speeds. Operators must observe the unposted speed limit of 10 km/h (6 mph) within 30 meters (100 ft) from shore. In all circumstances, boaters need to consider ocean conditions and a number of other variables when choosing a safe speed, including the effect of their boat’s wake which can damage other vessels, docks and the shoreline, and harm or capsize other boaters. Irresponsible operators can be held liable for these damages.

When choosing a safe speed, boaters should also consider:

• Visibility conditions (fog, mist, rain and darkness) and ability to see ahead
• Wind, water conditions and currents
• The manoeuvrability of their boat
• Traffic density, types of vessels in the area and their proximity
• Proximity of any navigational hazards (rocks, and tree stumps)
• Potential restricted visibility, such as entering or exiting a fog bank

North Vancouver officers and the Detachment's marine patrol vessel will continue to patrol North Vancouver waterways, boat launches and parks for the duration of the boating season.

Released by

Sgt. Peter DeVries

Media Relations Officer
North Vancouver RCMP