Death from a tender
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report covers the case of two yachtsmen who lost their lives while rowing back to their yacht in a tender on the River Deben in Suffolk.
‘In another tragic case, two lives were lost when sailors were returning, in a tender, to their yacht which was on a mooring in the middle of an east coast river. The men were friends, had spent the evening together in local hostelries and were last seen heading back to the tender in the late evening of an autumn day.
‘The two men were experienced yachtsmen who were accustomed to using a tender in similar weather conditions to those prevailing at the time of the accident.
‘Their bodies were discovered the following morning, close together, on the edge of the river. The tender was recovered nearby and found to be intact and dry. The men had not been wearing lifejackets.
‘There is no doubt that alcohol affected their judgment and ability to make a safe passage back to their yacht that evening, and this tragic case demonstrates that alcohol and boating simply don’t mix.’