The operator of a North Sea trawler has been fined £50,000 over safety failures which led to the death of a crewman.
Annang Nuertey was working as a deckhand on board the Banff-registered Aquarius when he was knocked overboard by a wire in the early hours of August 17, 2015 near Girdleness Lighthouse in Aberdeen. He was not wearing a lifejacket, and sank out of view. The 47-year-old, from Ghana, has never been found.
A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) previously said the vessel's crew were not adequately prepared to deal with emergencies.
MB Aquarius Ltd, of Buckie, has now pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
The incident was investigated by Police Scotland and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The investigation found that the company had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks involved in the task of marking the trawl wire.
They had also failed to properly plan and supervise the task and ensure that there was a safe system of work in place.
A Crown Office spokesman said: "The company's failures lead to the death of Annang Neurtey. His family and friends must live with the consequences of those failings.
"This sad incident should serve as a reminder to vessel operators and the fishing industry that they should ensure that they are familiar with and adhere to the regulations and that failure to do so can have tragic consequences."
The MAIB’s published a report in 2016 about their investigation. The report contains details of what happened and the subsequent actions taken, read more.
They also published a safety flyer for the fishing industry summarising the accident and detailing the safety lessons learned has also been produced.
