Cannabis, partying and high-speed led to fatal collision, says MAIB

The Marine Accident and Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its findings into the fatal collision between Gibraltar registered Vision (pictured above), and UK registered Minx, in Île Sainte-Marguerite, near Cannes. The accident happened in May 2019.

According to the report, Vision and Minx’s guests had spent the afternoon and evening drinking and partying together. On departure from the anchorage, Vision’s skipper attempted a high-speed close pass of the anchored Minx (so the charterer and guests could wave goodbye), travelling at over six time the 5-knot speed limit. He lost control of the yacht and it collided with the anchored Minx.

One of Minx’s crewman, who was on the foredeck, was fatally struck by Vision’s bow, says MAIB’s report. Vision’s skipper underestimated the risk associated with attempting a fast, close pass. This came at the end of hours of partying during which Vision’s skipper consumed cannabis.

The skipper, a French national, had been involved in commercial sail and motor yachting all his working life. He held a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Yachtmaster (Offshore) (Power) Certificate of Competency and had been in charge of Vision for a year. Before that he’d operated a smaller surface-drive propelled motor yacht. However, he was not suitably qualified to take charge of the yacht, as his RYA Yachtmaster certificate had not been commercially endorsed.

On the day after the accident, says MAIB, French authorities took a blood sample, which showed cannabinoid compounds. The French laboratory’s toxicology report stated that ‘since the skipper had not consumed cannabis between the time of the incident and the taking of samples, he was under the influence of cannabis at the time of the incident’.

The accident narrative

Groups from both yachts had dined ashore at a restaurant while the crews remained on board.

During their meal, the guests agreed to continue the party back on board, and Vision’s charterer called the skipper and asked him to raft up with Minx. Vision’s skipper contacted Minx’s skipper and discussed
the plan, then let out more anchor chain and manoeuvred the yacht alongside Minx. By about 1830, everyone was back on board and the drinking and partying continued with most of the guests on board Vision.

During the party, Vision’s skipper, encouraged by the guests, did a daring swallow-dive into the sea from the flybridge.

At about 2030, Vision’s crew started preparing to return to Monaco, so the guests were all asked to return to their own yachts; it was still daylight with good visibility, light airs and the sea was calm.

Vision’s skipper went to the flybridge with the charterer and one of the guests; the engines were running, and the mate was raising the anchor. When on the flybridge and in conversation with the skipper, Vision’s charterer asked if there would be an opportunity to pass Minx when departing the anchorage to allow the guests to wave goodbye to their friends on board the anchored yacht.

At about the same time, Minx’s skipper started the engines and the crewman, Jake Feldwhere, went to the foredeck to prepare for lifting the anchor.

After Vision had manoeuvred clear of Minx, it was discovered that a guest’s mobile phone had been left on board. Vision’s skipper then manoeuvred the yacht back close to Minx so the mobile phone could be returned, then Vision started opening away.

Having opened to a distance of 750m from Minx, Vision’s skipper turned the yacht to an easterly heading, moved down from the flybridge to the internal wheelhouse, and accelerated ahead. The skipper’s intention was to conduct a fast slalom-type manoeuvre close down the port side of the anchored Minx.

As its speed increased, Vision started planing and its propellers were creating a ‘rooster tail’ water spray astern. As the distance between the two yachts rapidly decreased, Vision’s mate, who had been stowing fenders, had joined the skipper at the internal steering position. In the final approach, Vision’s skipper made an alteration of course to starboard to head directly towards Minx, intending to then swing almost immediately back to port close by the anchored yacht. During the manoeuvre Vision did not respond to the skipper’s application of port wheel and it collided with Minx’s bow, striking the crewman.

MAIB’s report found that Vision’s surface-drive propulsion system was complex to operate and there were insufficient margins for error in the skipper’s plan to allow for any misjudgement, loss of control or failure.

AIS data shows that Vision’s speed immediately prior to collision was just under 33 knots.

On impact, Minx shuddered violently and heeled to starboard, resulting in most of the crew and guests being thrown to the deck, with several suffering minor injuries.

It was immediately apparent to Minx’s skipper that the crewman was very seriously injured, so he reported the accident to the French authorities.

One of Minx’s crew and three of the guests went to the foredeck to help the injured crewman, but the severity of his injuries meant that there was little they could do to help him.

Vision’s skipper was shocked by what had happened so the mate took control and anchored the yacht.

After the accident, French emergency services and maritime police attended the scene; the injured crewman could not be resuscitated. Later that evening, both yachts proceeded under police escort to marina berths in Cannes.

Read MAIB’s full report online.