Natissa - Mornas english summary
The accident covered by the investigation occurred in two phases that took place on 18 and 19 November 2008 respectively.
At 7:15 p.m. on 28 November 2008, the wheelhouse of the river-marine vessel “Natissa”, registered in Malta and transporting 1,454 tonnes of bulk cement from Nice to Lyons, smashed into the deck of the TGV high-speed rail bridge (“Méditérranée” high-speed line) in Mornas (Vaucluse). The force of the impact crushed the wheelhouse, injuring the pilot who was inside it at the time. The vessel then ran aground on the right bank, 100 m upstream of the bridge.
During this phase, there were no other casualties amongst the members of the crew and there was no interruption to river traffic.
On the next day – 19 November – around 12:00 p.m. the vessel was refloated due to the effects of the wind and current. After colliding with a marker buoy, it ran into the bridge via the navigable channel and remained stuck underneath the bridge deck. There was no pollution.
Nor was there any apparent damage caused to the bridge deck. Only the marker buoy was knocked over. However, the incident on 19 November interrupted river traffic in both directions until 20 November 2008 – the date on which the Natissa was towed upstream and moored at the Lafarge Company’s berthing dock in Mondragon.
The direct cause of the first phase of the accident – the collision with the bridge by the Natissa’s wheelhouse, followed by its grounding upstream of the bridge – would appear to be the pilot forgetting to lower the wheelhouse, or attempting this manoeuvre too late.
The direct cause of the second phase – the grounding of the vessel and its blockage under the bridge, which interrupted river traffic on the Rhône – was the lack of precautions made to ensure the proper mooring of the vessel after the first phase.
The duration of this interruption to river traffic was increased by the difficulties encountered in discussions with the insurance companies.
Five preventive recommendations were formulated following the technical investigation, concerning two groups of identified factors :
Fatigue of the pilot and its effects on his vigilance
Inspection of the safety of a vessel that has made an emergency stop.
Sur le même sujet
Viking Hermod - La Voulte english summary
GB_water
Technical inquiry report on the collision of the VIKING HERMOD passenger boat with the La Voulte-sur-Rhône SNCF bridge on 6 June (...)
25 février 2020
Sorellina - Bec d’Ambès english summary
GB_water
Technical inquiry report on a collision between the ship CÔTE DE BRETAGNE and the barge LA SORELLINA on 22 September 2012 in the vicinity of Bec (...)
31 janvier 2019
Marfret Marivel - Bezons english summary
GB_water
Technical inquiry report on the collisions between the MARFRET MARIVEL and the railway and road bridges at Bezons on 16 March (...)
22 janvier 2019
Natissa - Givors english summary
GB_water
Technical inquiry report (format PDF - 1,7 Mo) on the stranding of the river-sea ship "Natissa" on the Rhône on 11 July (...)
27 août 2014