Fines for captain and owner of party boat which collided with police dock and vessel
The captain and the owner of a passenger boat have been prosecuted by
the Maritime and Coastguard Agency after it collided with both a police dock
and police vessel, causing considerable damage.
Daniel Wakefield, 38, of Wellington Road, Tilbury, pleaded guilty to a
charge of conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals under section 58
of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
He was handed a fine of £1,120 and ordered to pay
costs of £1,200 this morning (24 January) when he appeared before Southwark
Crown Court.
Mr Wakefield was skipper of the Jewel of London on 13 December 2018.
That night, the catamaran had been booked to host a private party for 135
passengers on the Thames.
After the partygoers had disembarked at Canary Wharf shortly before 11pm,
the Jewel of London began to travel back towards its mooring at Festival Pier on
the South Bank.
Six bar staff were onboard, along with Mr Wakefield and the mate Jason
Foster.
At 11.05pm the boat hit the Metropolitan Police Service Marine Unit
workshop pontoon, causing considerable damage to the dock and to the vessel
itself.
It then reversed out of the pier, hitting a moored police vessel with
two officers onboard.
The incident was caught on police CCTV.
Mr Wakefield later admitted to having fallen asleep.
The court heard that the owner of the boat, London
Party Boats, had failed to ensure there was a dedicated lookout, something required
by the Passenger Safety Certificate of the Jewel of London.
The company was charged under section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act
1995 for being liable
for the unsafe operation of a ship and was this morning ordered to pay a fine
of £5,000 and will pay costs of £15,225.
The collision caused such considerable damage to the pontoon that the
lift that hoists boats in and out of the water is now unsafe to use. More than
a year after the incident it’s still inoperable and it’s estimated that the
total cost for investigations, repairs and replacements needed after the damage
will be between £1.25million and £1.6milion.
Police vessels, responsible for policing 47 miles of the River Thames
and providing an around-the-clock response to marine incidents, have been
unable to use the lift. As the pontoon was also used to maintain and repair other
vessels, the RNLI, London Fire Brigade and London City Airport have also been
greatly affected.
In passing sentence, Judge Philip Bartle QC said: “Fortunately
no one was injured although two police officers were onboard the police launch
and the crew were on board the Jewel. Had passengers been on board the Jewel it
is highly likely that some would have been injured, possibly seriously.”
Maritime
Investigations Manager at the Maritime & Coastguard Agency Paula Evans said:
“This was an entirely avoidable incident which has had very serious consequences
which could have been even more severe. It is lucky that nobody was hurt in the
collision.
"Keeping people safe is at the heart of what
we do and we are committed to working with our partner agencies to protect
those on the water by stopping dangerous practices and vessels, and to hold
accountable those responsible.”