MV Norma dive incident report published

The diver had entered the water from the Belgium registered self-propelled crane barge in order to replace a line marking the position of the wreck of a German submarine sunk during World War One off the Varne bank in the Dover Strait.

As the diver descended to a depth of about 20m, the umbilical cord containing an air supply became entangled in the vessel’s aft Voith Schneider propeller, and the diver was dragged towards its rotating blades. The diver was approximately 3m from the rotating propeller when the propeller was stopped by the vessel’s chief engineer. He then managed to cut himself free and make his way to the surface from where he was recovered without injury.

The MAIB investigation identified a number of factors which contributed to this hazardous incident. The control system for the vessel’s propulsion had recently been installed, and no procedures for its use had been developed and no familiarisation training had been provided. Also, neither the OOW nor the master verified that the propellers were stopped or informed the engine room that diving operations were about to take place.

A recommendation has been made to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, the International Marine Contractors Association, the Association of Diving Contractors and the International Chamber of Shipping aimed at ensuring that guidance on the safe conduct of commercial diving operations involving merchant vessels is readily available.

In addition to the action taken immediately following the incident, the vessel’s owner, Scaldis Salvage and Marine Contractors NV, has implemented vessel diving procedures in its safety management system, reviewed its risk assessment on diving operations and adopted a formal procedure which will ensure familiarisation, testing and the supply of instruction manuals for any new equipment that is to be supplied or fitted on board its vessels.

Following the incident, the diving contractor, Northern Divers (Engineering) Ltd, has reviewed its procedures and updated its ‘permit to dive’ checklist to take into account the lessons learned from this incident.

Details of the incident and lessons to be learned have been promulgated to the shipping industry by a flyer published by the MAIB and by a safety alert issued to diving contractors by the International Marine Contractors Association.