UK – Failure of RIB Seat Attachment

The U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) issued a Safety Bulletin advising the maritime community of the failure of the seat attachments in a rigid inflatable boat (RIB), resulting in the three crew falling overboard. A 6.3 meter Ribquest RIB was being operated on the river Thames in July 2007. While making turn at speed, the seat attachments separated from the hull, throwing the three crewmembers into the river. Subsequent investigation revealed that poor surface preparation had resulted in poor adhesion of the sealants used to attach the seats. Thus, the seats were held on solely by self-taping screws. The screws came loose when the underlying plywood softened due to wetting. Owners and operators of Ribquest RIBs are Source: HK Law