Collision between Silver Yang and Ella’s Pink Lady off Point Lookout, Queensland, 9 September 2009

Executive summary

At 0150½ on 9 September 2009, in a position about 15 miles to the east of Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, the Australian registered single-handed yacht Ella's Pink Lady collided with the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Silver Yang.

At the time of the collision, Silver Yang was en-route to China and travelling at a speed of about 9 knots on a northerly heading. Ella's Pink Lady was under sail on a voyage from Mooloolaba, Queensland, to Sydney, New South Wales. The yacht was making good a south-easterly course at a speed of about 7 knots.

Ella's Pink Lady was dismasted as a result of the collision, but the skipper was able to cut the headsail free, retrieve the mast, the mainsail and the rigging on board and motor the damaged yacht to Southport, Queensland.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation found that Ella's Pink Lady was not fitted with a passive radar reflector and that, at the time of the collision, neither the yacht's skipper nor the ship's watch keepers were keeping a proper lookout or appropriately using the available electronic aids to navigation to make a full appraisal of the situation and the risk of collision. The investigation also found that, following the collision, the ship's watch keeper did not initiate contact or offer any form of assistance to the yacht‟s crew and that, when contacted by the yacht's skipper via VHF radio, he could not be clearly understood.

The ATSB acknowledges the safety actions taken to address these safety issues and, in addition, has issued two safety advisory notices. As a consequence, the visibility of Ella's Pink Lady was enhanced, attention has been drawn to limits in the detectability of Class B AIS transmissions and the international requirement to render assistance following a collision has been highlighted.