On 23 April 2018, the small German owned motorboat RIGI foundered in Faxe Bay, Denmark, approx. 1 nm from shore. On board was a team of three fish biologists, who were a conducting marine biotic survey, and an observer representing the contractor of the survey. The persons escaped the sinking boat and ended in the water. They stayed by the boat in the hope that rescue assistance would arrive, but after a while they realised that their best chance of survival was to swim to shore and alert the rescue services. In the attempt to swim for help the observer perished.
The survey conducted on board RIGI on the day of the accident was part of a large scale project, involving several companies. The investigation showed that the choice of boat, and its equipment, operation and manning had influence on how the accident unfolded. Therefore, the investigation found it relevant to address the question of how and why such large, professional project organisation chose to conduct the commercial research in Faxe Bay using a small recreational craft manned by four non-professional mariners. The accident investigation report therefore focuses on both the technical and organisational circumstances leading to the foundering of the boat and the fatality that occurred as a consequence.
The report can downloaded in PDF format here.