Ouzo - A night ferry encounter off the Isle of Wight, three lost
The yacht Ouzo vanished after an encounter with the ro-ro ferry Pride of Bilbao; her three crew were recovered from the sea in inflated lifejackets but, with no way to raise the alarm, none survived.
What happened.
On the night of 20 August 2006 the yacht Ouzo sailed from Bembridge, Isle of Wight for Dartmouth with her three regular crew, and was lost after an encounter with the ro-ro passenger ferry Pride of Bilbao. The yacht was never found. All three crew were recovered from the sea over the following days, in inflated lifejackets and good yachting clothing — but with no means to raise the alarm, none survived.
On the evening of 20 August 2006, the sailing yacht Ouzo left Bembridge, Isle of Wight, bound for Dartmouth with her three regular crew, who were intending to take part in the Dartmouth Royal Regatta. She was lost after a night-time encounter with the ro-ro passenger ferry Pride of Bilbao. Despite extensive surface and sub-surface searches, no trace of the yacht was ever found. One crew member's body was recovered just before midday on 22 August, about 10 miles south of the Nab Tower; the other two were recovered the following evening. All three had been wearing inflated lifejackets and good-quality yachting clothing. The MAIB found that Ouzo was not seen or detected by Pride of Bilbao's bridge team until it was too late to take effective avoiding action; that the ferry's last-minute helm action was ineffective; that the ferry did not stop to assist because the watchkeeper was unaware Ouzo was in distress; and that after the encounter, Ouzo's crew had no means to raise the alarm. Recommendations addressed bridge lookout practice and night procedures, and the effectiveness of yachts' radar reflectors, navigation lights and lifesaving equipment.
What it teaches.
- 1At night, assume you are invisible — and make yourself as detectable as you can. Ouzo was never seen or detected by the ferry's bridge team until it was too late. Carry a good radar reflector, proper navigation lights and, ideally, AIS; the MAIB's recommendations targeted exactly these.
- 2Surviving the impact is not surviving the night — carry a way to summon help from the water. Ouzo's crew were afloat in inflated lifejackets and good clothing yet had no means to raise the alarm, and none was found alive. A DSC radio, EPIRB, PLB and flares are what close that fatal gap.
- 3Give fast ferry traffic a wide berth and never rely on being seen. The encounter was with a ro-ro ferry off the Isle of Wight; as in other run-down cases, a small yacht must keep well clear of busy, high-speed routes and assume the bridge has neither seen her nor will alter for her.
- 4A lifejacket keeps you afloat; being found keeps you alive. The heart of the Ouzo tragedy is three people who got flotation right and still died waiting. Pair every lifejacket with a personal locator — a PLB or AIS man-overboard beacon — and a light, so flotation buys rescue and not just time.
Where this comes from.
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Procedures involved.
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