Causes of vessel casualties involving loss of life to fishermen in British commercial fishing, 1976–95
| Cause of vessel casualty | No. of vessel casualties by length of fishing vessel (metres) | Total vessel casualties | Total deaths | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <12 | 12–23.9 | 24–35.9 | ⩾36 | |||
| Collisions | ||||||
| With merchant vessels | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 20 |
| With fishing vessels | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
| With unidentified vessels | 2 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Grounding | ||||||
| Due to navigational error | 3 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 27 | |
| Due to anchors dragging during storms | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| Due to unknown causes | 1 | 1 | 5 | |||
| Capsized after snagged trawling nets | ||||||
| On submarines | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
| On other underwater obstructions | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 22 | |
| Foundered or capsized | ||||||
| Due to adverse weather or sea conditions | 21 | 14 | 2 | 37 | 115 | |
| Due to instability during hauling-in operations | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 | ||
| Due to unseaworthy trawlers | 4 | 1 | 5 | 18 | ||
| Due to anchor caught in trawling gear | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Missing vessels and unknown causes | 8 | 2 | 10 | 21 | ||
| Fires and explosions | ||||||
| In engine rooms | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| In galleys and in accommodation areas | 4 | 4 | 7 | |||
| Location not known | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Total | 48 | 40 | 11 | 3 | 102 | 270 |