An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report, released today, has found that work procedures in the Regency Park rail yard allowed a shunter to ride on the end-steps of a wagon while being shunted and did not require that the driver confirm that the shunter was safe and/or in a safe position before starting a shunt movement. The dangers involved in railway shunting accidents were tragically illustrated when a railway employee was severely injured and disabled after a string of wagons ran over him. The ATSB report of the accident on 2 February 2005, cites poor work…

The ATSB has found that deficient boat design and construction, inadequate equipment and training, fatigue and poor decision-making, weather conditions and regulatory confusion, all combined in the tragic loss of five Torres Strait Islanders travelling on board the 6 metre boat Malu Sara in Torres Strait on 15 October 2005. According to the final investigation report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the boat did not meet basic freeboard or stability requirements. When operating at slow speed or stopped, water flooded the boat's cockpit from the stern freeing port. The four…

An ATSB investigation has found that nobody was assigned to guide the leading end of a shunting movement of a Pacific National freight train which collided with the side of the Sydney to Melbourne XPT on the evening of 19 January 2005 at South Dynon. The ATSB investigation found that factors including the lack of procedures, poor communications, erroneous assumptions and a depleted team of terminal operators all contributed to the collision. The investigation also found that the catchpoints were ineffective in deflecting the wagons away from the main line. The final investigation report by…

Failing to keep a proper lookout was the major cause of yet another collision between a trading ship and a commercial fishing vessel, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report released today. The ATSB report into the incident states that, at 0535 (local time) on 15 April 2005, the Greek registered bulk carrier Spartia and the Western Australian cray fishing vessel Hannah Lee collided 17 nautical miles west of Cape Bouvard. Spartias crew had detected the fishing vessel about 20 minutes prior to the collision, using the ships radars. They had assessed that a…

A 20-year-old engineer cadet died from severe head injuries after falling seven metres while working in a ship's engine room, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report released today. The ATSB report into the incident states that, at about 0920 (local time) on 16 May 2005, the engineer cadet on board the South Korean bulk carrier Golden Bell was working with other engine room staff when he fell through an open section of deck grating. The cadet landed seven metres below, on the engine room's bottom deck plates. He suffered severe head and internal injuries…

The electrician on board the Marshall Islands registered Probo Panda died from a heart attack following a suspected electric shock while the ship was at anchor off Gladstone in Queensland on 11 May 2005, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report released today. The electrician died while working on one of the ship's engine room light fittings. He had been missing for several hours and was only found after a search of the vessel was instigated by the master. The ATSB report into the fatality on board the products / oil / bulk / ore carrier Probo Panda,…

As part of its national safety awareness campaign for commercial fishermen, announced in December 2004, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will be conducting a series of informal face-to-face meetings with fishermen in two ports in northern WA, this week. The aim of the meetings is to raise the awareness of commercial fishermen to similar causal factors, identified by the ATSB during investigations of 23 collisions between trading ships and fishing vessels conducted since 1990. The meetings will complement a safety bulletin, published by the ATSB in December 2004, and form an…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the circumstances surrounding a Virgin Blue Boeing 737 emergency descent incident on 2 December 2005. The Boeing 737 was being flown from Townsville to Brisbane with a total crew and passengers of 104. During the rapid descent, a number of passengers suffered ear discomfort and some minor injuries. On arrival at Brisbane the injured passengers were taken to hospital for observation and treatment and were discharged following treatment. None of the passengers were admitted to hospital. The flight recorders are being replayed and…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the Piper Navajo Chieftain four-fatality accident near Condobolin on 2 December 2005. Four ATSB investigators have been on site near Condobolin since Saturday morning. The Piper Navajo Chieftain was reportedly being flown by a commercial pilot and was en route from Archerfield to Swan Hill via Griffith. Weather in the Condobolin area was severe with extremely strong wind and thunderstorms across the aircraft's track. The pilot reported diverting around weather and shortly after this communication was…

Anchoring too close to each other and without due regard to the changeable weather conditions in the anchorage off Newcastle were the major causes of the collision between two bulk carriers, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report released today. The ATSB report into the incident states that at 0939 on 24 June 2005, the bulk carrier Pilsum collided with another bulk carrier, China Steel Growth, while dragging its anchor. The two ships were anchored off the New South Wales port of Newcastle. On the morning of 24 June, a southerly weather front came…