It sounded like something from the Keystone Cops films. A pleasure boat master not only rammed a police pontoon on the Thames but also reversed into a police launch moored nearby, a court in London has heard.
Daniel Wakefield pleaded guilty last week to a charge of conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals under section 58 of the UK’s Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
He was handed a fine of £1,120 ($1,458) and ordered to pay costs of £1,200 when he appeared before London’s Southwark crown court, according to the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
Wakefield had been skipper of the catamaran pleasure boat Jewel of London on 13 December 2018. The vessel had been booked to host a private party for 135 passengers on the Thames.
After the party goers had disembarked at Canary Wharf shortly before 2300, the Jewel of London began to travel back towards its mooring at Festival Pier on the South Bank.
Five minutes later the vessel collided the Metropolitan Police service marine unit workshop pontoon, causing “considerable damage to the dock and to the vessel itself”.
It then reversed out of the pier, hitting a moored police vessel with two officers onboard. The incident was caught on police CCTV.
Wakefield, who was one of eight staff onboard the vessel, including six bar staff and mate Jason Foster, admitted to having fallen asleep.
The court heard that the owner of the boat, London Party Boats, had “failed to ensure there was a dedicated lookout”, something required by the Passenger Safety Certificate of the Jewel of London.
The company was charged under section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 for being liable for the unsafe operation of a ship and was this morning ordered to pay a fine of £5,000 and will pay costs of £15,225.
“The collision caused such considerable damage to the pontoon that the lift that hoists boats in and out of the water is now unsafe to use,” said the MCA.
“More than a year after the incident it’s still inoperable and it’s estimated that the total cost for investigations, repairs and replacements needed after the damage will be between £1.25m and £1.6m.”
Police vessels, responsible for policing 76 km of the River Thames and providing an around-the-clock response to marine incidents, are said to have been unable to use the lift.
“As the pontoon was also used to maintain and repair other vessels, the RNLI, London fire brigade and London city airport have also been greatly affected,” the MCA added.
In passing sentence, Judge Philip Bartle said that it was fortunate that no one was injured, though two officers were on the police launch and the crew were onboard the Jewel of London.
“Had passengers been onboard the Jewel it is highly likely that some would have been injured, possibly seriously,” he said.
MCA maritime investigations manager Paula Evans said the incident was avoidable and could have been more severe.
“It is lucky that nobody was hurt in the collision,” she said.
