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A failed shell door on the fishing vessel Argos Georgia was the main cause of its sinking last year, resulting in 13 deaths, according to an interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).
The St Helena-registered longline fishing vessel capsized and sank on July 22, 2024, about 190 nautical miles east of Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, while heading toward fishing grounds near South Georgia.
Out of the 27 crew members, 13 lost their lives, while 14 were rescued during search and rescue operations.
Investigators found that the shell door in the hauling compartment on the starboard side was initially in the closed position. CCTV footage revealed that the door slowly descended into a fully open position, which allowed a large volume of water to enter the compartment.
The report noted that internal doors leading from the hauling compartment were left open, enabling water to flow freely into other areas of the vessel. This caused the vessel to develop a significant list, which worsened as more water entered.
Crew members were unable to close the shell door once it opened or stop the progressive flooding, which ultimately led to the vessel sinking. Some crew members were lost during the abandonment of the vessel, while others died in liferafts during the long-range search and rescue operation.
In response to the incident, the MAIB issued a safety bulletin in October 2024, urging all fishing vessel owners, operators, and skippers with side shell doors to assess and reduce the risk of shell door failures and related flooding between compartments.
A technical investigation completed in July 2025 found an unacceptable level of stress and potential failure in the shell door’s drive shaft, coupling, and key. This fault could allow the door to lower under gravity, disabling the normal closing mechanism and creating a serious safety risk.
The MAIB recommended that vessel operators and shell door designers review and improve door operating mechanisms. Any design changes should be shared with other operators using similar shell doors to prevent similar accidents.
Reference: MAIB