A female tourist has been paralysed for life after being thrown from a ‘kamikaze’ seat on an inflatable boat hit by a high wave as it left a harbour.
The RIB Lundy Explorer had left Ilfracombe harbour in North Devon for a sea safari trip in June 2023.
A Marine Accident Investigation Board inquiry said it encountered a high wave as it left the harbour, which caused it to slam into an oncoming wave.
The report says that a passenger was sitting in a ‘jockey’ seat in the front of the RIB, where the highest shock loads were experienced.
The passenger was dislodged from their seat and suffered a fracture of their spinal column, resulting in permanent paralysis.
The MAIB report said local weather conditions had deteriorated quickly, which resulted in choppy seas and bigger waves, which the RIB skipper had not expected.
The position of the jockey seats was unsuitable for single occupancy, the report added, as they exposed passengers to high shock load as the boat slammed into waves.
And the pre-departure safety briefing did not include the use of the seats and the passengers were unaware of the risks.
The RIB Lundy Explorer had left Ilfracombe harbour in North Devon for a sea safari trip in June 2023 (stock photo)
The MAIB also found that concerns were expressed by many people in the industry about the use of jockey seats on high-speed RIBs.
It said: ‘Several operators, manufacturers and skippers were consulted during this investigation, and all acknowledged that the front seats of a RIB could present comfort issues, often referring to them as “kamikaze” or “suicide” seats.’
The investigation found that the boat was hit by three waves, which caused the bow of the boat to land on the water ‘with force, bringing the RIB to a sudden stop’.
The person on the jockey seat ‘struck their face heavily on the handhold in front of them’.
It added: ‘The dislodged passenger was wedged between the jockey seat pedestal and the RIB’s sponsor, in a twisted position with her right leg over the seat. The deckhand attended to the dislodged passenger, who said that she could not feel her legs.’
The boat was turned around as soon as the waves allowed and the skipper tried to call the company owner by mobile phone but received no reply.
The coastguard was not contacted via the road and the report stated that his ‘might have delayed the emergency response and prevented medical advice on handling a suspected spinal injury’.
A Marine Accident Investigation Board inquiry said the boat encountered a high wave as it left the Ilfracombe harbour (pictured), which caused it to slam into an oncoming wave
The woman was carried ashore by the owner and skipper as her sister called an ambulance at 12.27pm.
She was taken to the hospital in Plymouth by air after a lifeboat team and an air ambulance were dispatched.
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Andrew Moll, said: ‘This dreadful accident highlights that even when operating at slow speeds in harbour areas significant injuries can still occur on RIB rides when inappropriate seating arrangements are used.
‘Despite being in good health and wearing appropriate safety equipment, she was dislodged from her seat and sustained a spinal injury that has resulted in permanent paralysis.’
He urged all operators to take action and Ilfracombe Sea Safari Ltd is recommended to implement a safety management system.
The MAIB report said that since 2001 it has been notified of 54 accidents during RIB rides that have resulted in lower back injuries, 17 of which caused spinal fractures.
A spokesman for Ilfracombe Sea Safari told the Times: ‘It was two and a half years ago and [we are] now under new management since early 2024.
‘We have implemented all the safety guidelines outlined in the report and more. We work to the highest standards and go above and beyond to ensure safety for all of our passengers and crew.’
