The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report on the investigation into the death of a crewmember on board the 62.5-metre Baton Rouge.
On 23 February 2024, 47-year-old British national Roy Temme – then the chief engineer of Baton Rouge – was electrocuted while fixing an air damper that failed to reset following a power outage. His heart could not be restarted despite medics' attempts at CPR and he was pronounced dead shortly after being transferred to hospital.
The report highlighted numerous safety issues that led to this fatality, including inadequate safeguarding against electrical shocks, inadequate working procedures for an "enclosed space" (the duct compartment) and the fact that a permit was not issued for the task, meaning "the associated hazards were not identified". No recommendations were made by MAIB following the "actions [already] taken" by Burgess, the yacht's operating company.
"[The operating company] has updated its permit to work guidance for electrical systems; revised the enclosed space definition in the safety management systems of vessels under its management; and promulgated fleet guidance on the changes to the enclosed space definition, permits to work and the need for on board risk controls," read the report.
A friend of the deceased, Liam Dobbin, released this statement at the time of Temme's death: "He is a man with a heart of gold and is sorely missed by many family, friends and crew who have met and worked with him. He leaves a wife and two children."