Boat accidents: what are the main causes? Keep your eyes open this summer

Which are the main causes of accidents at sea? According to an analysis of accidents in 2020 carried out by STB Italia , the two main causes are collisions at sea (nor surprisingly, the Salona 37 Le Pelican sank a few days ago as a result of a collision) and groundings. Now that the 2021 boating season is approaching, here’s an overview of what to look out for.

Boat accidents: collisions and groundings are the main causes

Out 365 accidents examined for 2020, according to the report shared by STB Italy the main causes of accidents are:

ACCIDENT TYPE

SINKINGS: 11
BAD WEATHER DAMAGE: 43
COLLISIONS: 131
ENGINE DAMAGE: 14
SITE AND TRANSPORT DAMAGE: 10
BURSTS: 8
THEFT: 7
FIRE: 2
COLLISION WITH QUAY: 20
GROUNDING DURING NAVIGATION: 87
OTHERS: 32

A number of considerations can be made on the basis of these data. The first is that collisions and groundings are the most frequent causes. They are often caused by distractions while sailing. In 2021, the year when many newcomers will be going to sea for the first time, it will be essential to keep concentration as high as possible.

Other types of accident, which are quite frequent, are related to collisions at the quay and damage caused by bad weather. Thefts and fires are decreasing, probably also thanks to the increased technology that allows the boat to be monitored at all times.

STB also reports low rates of engine damage. According to STB’s experts, this indicates greater reliability of engines and greater care in maintenance.

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