CHANNEL QUEEN

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Report: Skipper was insufficiently qualified

The 'Channel Queen', which being used to escort a relay swim event around the Isle of Wight hit a shipwreck before its passengers and crew were rescued, investigators found in the MAIB report which was published on July 25, 2024. She hit the steam ship 'Varvassi', which sank in 1947, near the Needles lighthouse on July 20, 2023, at about 06:00 BST. 14 people, including fundraisers who planned to lap the island for Cure Parkinson’s, were taken to Lymington Harbour by the RNLI, with some suffering minor injuries. The investigation also found its owner, who was navigating the boat by eye when it struck Varvassi, was “insufficiently qualified” and “was dealing with a number of distractions” at the time. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that the 'Channel Queen’s route plan “did not provide a sound basis for a safe circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight”. Although the wreck was unmarked, it was clearly identified on paper and electronic charts. The MAIB found the boat’s qualified skipper was travelling in a kayak to supervise a swimmer when the accident happened. While the ship’s owner had extensive experience organising swim events, he had limited experience of navigating boats commercially. The 'Channel Queen' was beached on Scratchell’s Bay and struck a submerged rock as it did so. It was later declared a total loss. The MAIB recommended that the company that ran the event, Swimon Proprietary Limited, reviews the navigation passage planning used for any boat in future. Reports with photos: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/channel-queen-report-published https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj7dp8y8rkro https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-66254516