The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) today released the findings of its investigation into the Miroshga Hout Bay boat accident. In it, they found that an incorrectly wired pump led to the blue and white catamaran taking on too much water, and eventually capsizing.

On top of this, the report indicates that the skipper of the vessel was not properly certified. Said the report:

The skipper held a basic skipper competency certificate, but it was not endorsed to allow him to act as skipper of a small passenger boat as prescribed by regulation.

Samsa also explained its findings with regard to the incorrectly wired “Aft Port Bilge Pump,” a pump that may have been able to remove the excess water that the Miroshga was taking on board as a result of rough seas:

The Miroshga proceeded to sea with an incorrectly wired aft port bilge pump. The bilge pump float switch was wired so that it ran continuously with the switch in the off (down) position but tripped the circuit breaker when the switch lifted as a result of rising water in the compartment. With the port bilge pump stopped water ingress through the compartment vent was uninhibited resulting in an increase in vessel trim by the stern as well as reduced freeboard resulting in flooding of the adjacent compartments and water coming on to the aft deck.

The power cut is what then likely led to the engine failure, and the ultimate capsizing of the vessel.

With all propulsion power lost the vessel drifted closer  inshore over shallow waters. There was an initial lack of appreciation of the danger by the  skipper and when the danger was realised there was a delay in deploying the anchor due to the anchor compartment being locked closed. The vessel drifted into shallow waters where it encountered steep and breaking waves which finally capsized the vessel.

The position of the vessel in shallow water further complicated rescue efforts by responding vessels.

You can read the full report here.

[Source: EWN]