201022 Defective lifebuoys

Defective lifebuoys
MARS Report 201022

Official report: edited from Maritime Investigation Unit, Swedish Transport Agency

While engaged in carrying out maintenance on deck, a seaman on board a merchant ship had to temporarily remove one of the vessel’s lifebuoys from its holding bracket. When lifting it off, he felt that the lifebuoy seemed to be unusually heavy and appeared to be saturated with water. Water was also seen to be dripping from under one of the retro-reflective tapes.

When he pressed the damp section of the tape, it gave way, revealing a 15 mm diameter hole through which several litres of water had entered and filled the space between the plastic outer shell and the buoyant material. In this condition, it was seen that the lifebuoy was unable to float freely and would have been useless in an emergency.
Further investigations on board other vessels revealed more such defective lifebuoys that had been manufactured in European Union countries and were accompanied by valid type-approval certificates.