A Sailor Hosted A Tea Ceremony And "Sunk" A Fishing Vessel (2 photos)

The fishing vessel Ocean Maid was wrecked off the coast of Fraserburgh, Scotland, after a crew member made a mistake by leaving the wheelhouse for a cup of tea.





The incident, which occurred on 24 October 2022, necessitated the rescue of all four sailors on board. Details of the investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have been released to mark the second anniversary of the incident.

According to the MAIB report, one of the crew left the ship at around 05:30am to make tea for the entire crew. After leaving the wheelhouse, the Ocean Maid went off course and less than half an hour later the skipper was forced to raise a distress call as the vessel ran aground.

"It was a long-standing practice on board the Ocean Maid for the watchman to make tea for all crew members immediately before entering the harbour. However, his departure left the vessel without proper control at a critical moment," the report said.



It is also noted that the crew member did not have the required qualifications and was deprived of adequate rest before the start of the watch. According to the MAIB, he slept only five hours before the watch, which could have affected his alertness and ability to adequately assess the situation.

"Lack of sleep could have affected the watchman's ability to effectively perform his duties, particularly in the morning hours when attention is usually reduced," the report noted.

The sinking of the Ocean Maid has prompted a review of safety standards and procedures in the fishing industry. Following the incident, the ship owners sent the crew on navigation courses and also introduced mandatory rest standards for all watchmen before going to sea.