Tourist left ‘permanently paralysed’ after being thrown from ‘kamikaze’ seat on Devon sea safari
When a female tourist hit an upcoming wave, a paralysis was left after sitting in a “Kamikaze” chair on a swelling boat.
Rib Lundy Explorer left the Port of Ilfracombe in Northern Devon for a Sea Safari trip in June 2023.
A Naval Accident Investigation Board investigation, said he encountered a high wave when leaving the port, which caused him to hit another approaching wave.
According to the report, the 28 -year -old wounded passenger was sitting in a jockey seat in front of the boat where the highest shock loads were experienced.
The shock of the wave caused him to come out of his seat, which resulted in breaking the spine column and permanent paralysis.
According to the MAIB report, local weather conditions quickly deteriorated, causing wavy seas and unexpected wave heights.
In addition, the position of the jockey seats, passengers are not suitable for a single occupancy because they exposed to high shock burden, he said.
Pre -division security briefing did not involve the use of seats and passengers were unaware of the risks.
During the MAIB investigation, several operators, manufacturers and caps were consulted, and all of the front seats of a rib can often refer to as “Kamikaze” or “suicide” seats and accepted that comfort problems can offer comfort problems.
Lundy Explorer was shot at three high waves and brought him to a stop that caused him to be “all passengers forward ve and a passenger said,“ He hit his face in front of the passion in front of him. ”
After the wave was hit, the two passenger captains raised his arms to inform him that there was a problem and that a passenger had fallen.
The passenger said, “In a twisted position on the chair,” he was “stuck” and said he couldn’t feel his legs.
After the accident, the boat returned and tried to call the owner of the captain on a mobile phone, but could not get an answer.
However, the Coast Guard Company was not contacted with the radio, which was able to prevent medical advice on an emergency intervention and delayed the emergency intervention and a suspicious spine injury ”.
While the wounded passenger was moving to the land, his sister called an ambulance at 12.27.
One of the scene warned a member of the Local Royal National Cankurtaran institution (RNLI), sending a wounded care team.
The woman was later taken to hospital in Plymouth.
The hospital’s consultant neurosurgeon said that the injury was caused by the effect of the effect and that they did not have any pre -existing conditions to contribute to the injury.
The chief inspector of the marine accidents, Andrew Moll, said: “This terrible accident emphasizes that important injuries may occur in rib driving when inappropriate seating arrangements are used even when working at slow speeds in the port areas.
“Despite being healthy and wearing suitable safety equipment, he was removed from his seat and continued a spine injury that resulted in permanent paralysis.”
Ilfracombe proposed a security management system of LTD by Sea Safari and called other operators to take action.
The MAIB report, since 2001, said that 54 accidents have been reported during ribs driving, which caused the waist injuries that caused the spinal cord to break.
