Humber pilot should not have been signed off ‘fully fit’ before fatal fall in estuary, report finds

A safety investigation into a man-overboard incident during marine pilotage operations off the Lincolnshire coast has raised concerns about how a pilot’s fitness to return to duty was assessed before the incident. The report said the medical assessment and decision-making process did not sufficiently take account of the individual’s health or the risks linked to resuming a safety‑critical role. It called for stronger occupational health checks and a more robust, consistently applied approach to fitness‑to‑work decisions. It also identified wider safety issues around pilot transfers and working conditions on vessels operating in waters off Lincolnshire, recommending steps to reduce the risk of falls and man‑overboard incidents during pilotage operations. Organisations involved in marine pilotage and vessel operations off Lincolnshire were urged to consider the findings and implement the recommendations.