Experts say ‘lessons to be learned’ from Bernie Ingram’s death in yachting tragedy off Felixstowe

The yacht Orca being recovered from the water after the collison with the dredger Shoreway six miles off Felixstowe. Picture: MAIB (Image: Courtesy of MAIB)

The report by the Government’s Marine Accidents Investigation Branch said when the 30ft yacht Orca and 5,000 tonne dredger Shoreway collided in 2014 neither vessel was keeping a constant look-out.

Husband and wife, Peter and Bernie Ingram, from Butley, were sailing the Orca from Levington Marina for a leisurely day sail on the North Sea.

Mr Ingram, an experienced skipper, saw the dredger a few miles away and set the yacht’s autopilot – the ship was in the main channel and he was content there was no risk of collision.

Leaving his wife, a receptionist at the Peninsula Practice in Orford relaxing in the cockpit, Mr Ingram, a former chief technology officer of telecoms regulator Ofcom, went below but at about the same time, the dredger made a series of small alterations to its course to leave the main channel.

Bernie Ingram, who drowned when the family's yacht was in collision with a dredger off Felixstowe. Picture: SIMON PARKER

The vessels collided with catastrophic damage to the Orca, which sank within minutes. Mr Ingram managed to escape but Mrs Ingram, 57, drowned.

The MAIB’s report highlights lessons to be learned from the tragedy. The bureau said the skipper made an assumption that the outbound ship would remain in the channel and follow the ship that was ahead of it, and it was essential that all vessels maintain a proper lookout at all times.

The report said: “Leisure boat users should never assume that they have been seen by other vessels, nor should they assume that the other vessels will always take the correct avoiding action.”

Leisure sailors need to be particularly aware of closing speeds between their vessels and others as distances that initially appear sufficient can be reduced surprisingly quickly.

The dredger Shoreway (Image: Archant)

The Orca’s skipper’s automatic inflation lifejacket failed to inflate on immersion – though, ironically, had it done, it is highly likely he would not have escaped from the sinking yacht. The MAIB said in the vast majority of cases an automatic lifejacket is a lifesaver.

Gerardus Chapel, of The Netherlands, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court and admitted failing to discharge his duties properly as the officer of the watch on the 320-foot long dredger and was given a suspended six-month jail sentence.