Tragic End to Global Sailing Dream
A 74-year-old New Zealand national, Lyall Babington, has died in a horrific accident aboard his yacht during a round-the-world voyage. The incident, which occurred on 5 August this year, was the result of the sailor being pulled into a faulty winch, a Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report has concluded.
The Fatal Incident Unfolds
Mr Babington had been living aboard his 17-metre yacht, Mollie, for three years, having set off from New Zealand and recruiting crew members at various ports. On the day of the accident, the yacht was sailing south-south-west of the Needles off the Isle of Wight, having departed from West Wittering, West Sussex, bound for Poole, Dorset.
At approximately 11am, while the experienced skipper was attempting to raise a sail, the winch unexpectedly activated. His right hand became caught in the rope wrapped around the device. The winch continued to turn, pulling Mr Babington progressively tighter onto the winch drum.
The crew on board, two of whom had only joined the vessel the day before, rushed to stop the machinery using the control switch. After several attempts, they managed to halt the winch, but by then, Mr Babington was unresponsive and tightly wound over and around the winch.
Rescue Efforts and Investigation Findings
An RNLI lifeboat and a rescue helicopter were immediately dispatched to the scene. As emergency crews worked to free Mr Babington from the winch, the device activated again without warning, dropping the pensioner onto the deck. Despite the best efforts of all involved, his injuries were catastrophic and he could not be saved.
The subsequent MAIB investigation revealed a critical finding: the winch had a known defect in its control system. This fault sometimes caused the winch to continue operating even after the control switch had been released. Alarmingly, no further action had been taken to address this known and dangerous malfunction prior to the fatal accident.
This tragic event highlights the severe consequences of inadequate maintenance and the importance of addressing equipment defects promptly, especially in the demanding environment of a long-term sailing voyage.
