'Catalogue of failures' led to drownings

A "catalogue of failures" led to the decease of 2 radical successful wheelchairs aft a vessel capsized successful a Devon lake, marine mishap investigators said.

Alison Tilsley, 63, and Alex Wood, 43, drowned aft being thrown from a wheelchair-accessible boat, astatine Roadford Lake, adjacent Okehampton, connected 8 June 2022.

In its investigation study the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) recovered South West Lakes Trust (SWLT), which owned the enactment centre that ran the vessel trip, had not maintained the vas oregon considered the risks.

Andrew Moll OBE, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, said: "On the time no-one recognised the implications of carrying susceptible radical who were strapped into dense motorised wheelchairs astir a water successful an unfastened boat."

Ms Tilsley and Mr Wood, who was from Aylesbury successful Buckinghamshire, were residents of Burdon Grange attraction location successful Beaworthy erstwhile they took portion successful a time travel to the lake.

The MAIB reported they were strapped into their wheelchairs and were dragged to the bottommost of the water and drowned aft the wheelyboat capsized.

The study recovered h2o had leaked into the vas and seals connected the bow ramp had degraded which resulted successful the capsize.

This, the MAIB said, was due to the fact that the wheelyboat "had not been correctly maintained".

The investigators recommended SWLT update its attraction programme and employment a imperishable subordinate of unit to oversee upkeep astatine each its enactment centres.

They besides advised the spot to bid unit successful disablement consciousness and guarantee instructors cognize however to measure the value and load organisation erstwhile moving with wheelchair users and watercraft.

The MAIB recommended the attraction location revises its hazard assessments for activities provided by outer suppliers.

It advised The Wheelyboat Trust, which owned the vessel, to marque definite its owner's manual included guidance astir the securing of wheelchairs and the carriage of heavy, motorised wheelchairs.

Mr Moll OBE, said: "In short, no-one had their oculus connected the risk, and tragically Alison Tilsley and Alex Wood mislaid their lives.

"As good arsenic the catalogue of failings highlighted by the report, the probe has besides uncovered a worrying deficiency of oversight" which helium said "must beryllium seen arsenic an impetus for urgent action".

A spokesperson for The Wheelyboat Trust said it noted the MAIB did not find the plan of the vas to person contributed to the incidental but that it would reappraisal the report’s recommendations.

James Platts, main enforcement of South West Lakes Trust, said the spot welcomed the study and would instrumentality its “applicable” recommendations.

He said the spot continued to enactment with activities organisations but had stopped utilizing wheelyboats.

“Whilst we instantly ceased the usage of wheelyboats connected our waters pursuing the incident, we recognise the benefits vessels of this benignant supply to those with disabilities and volition see the aboriginal cognition of specified vessels successful the discourse of the recommendations,” helium said.

The BBC has approached the Burdon Grange attraction location for comment.