The MAIB’s sole objective in investigating an accident is the prevention of future accidents by establishing its causes and circumstances: it is not the purpose to apportion liability, nor except so far as is necessary to achieve the objective, to apportion blame. The MAIB is not an enforcement or prosecuting body.
Powers of inspectors in relation to premises and ships. (1) The powers apply to any United Kingdom ship wherever it may be and any other ship which is present in the United Kingdom waters; and are available to any MAIB inspector, who (a) may at any reasonable time board any ship, if he has reason to believe that it is necessary for him to do so.
MASTER candidates need to read the below MGN.
MGN 564: marine casualty and marine incident reporting
A MARINE CASUALTY is an event or sequence of events that occurred directly in connection with the operation of a ship, and resulted in:
- The death of, or serious injury to a person.
- The loss of a person from a ship.
- The loss, presumed loss or abandonment of a ship.
- Material damage to a ship.
- The ship being unfit to proceed, or requires flag state approval or a condition of class before it may proceed.
- At sea, a breakdown of the ship, requiring towage.
- The stranding or disabling of a ship, or the involvement of a ship in a collision.
- Material damage to marine infrastructure external of a ship that could seriously endanger the safety of the ship, another ship or any individual.
- Pollution, caused by damage to a ship or ships.
A MARINE INCIDENT means an event, or sequence of events, which occurred directly in connection with the operation of a ship, that do not meet the criteria to be classified as a marine casualty but that endangered or, if not corrected would endanger, the safety of the ship, its occupants or any other person or the environment.
Examples of marine incidents include:
- Close-quarters situations where urgent action was required to avoid collision.
- Any event that had the potential to result in a serious injury.
- A fire that did not result in material damage.
- An unintended temporary grounding on soft mud, where there was no risk of stranding or material damage.
- A person overboard who was recovered without serious injury. o Snagging of fishing gear resulting in a dangerous heel.