[tz] Yacht crew member killed after daylight-saving error

Paul Eggert eggert at cs.ucla.edu
Thu Jun 5 07:49:29 UTC 2014


Here's a sobering reminder of one of the downsides of daylight saving 
time. Last month the Australian Transport Safety Bureau published its 
investigation into a fatal accident on 2013-02-08 at 13:45 +1100, as the 
motor yacht Calliope transited the Glebe Island Bridge in Rozelle Bay, 
Sydney Harbour. When the ship's master calculated tidal conditions for 
the transit, he determined that low tide would be at 13:20 local time. 
However, he forgot to allow for daylight saving time, and the actual low 
tide was at 14:20. The miscalculation contributed to a botched transit; 
as the crew positioned a fender to control contact with the bridge 
structure, an assistant engineer was caught between the yacht's fashion 
plate and a bridge-mounted fender, was pulled overboard, and died.

Crane E. Crewman crushed to death in yacht crash after captain misjudged 
tide times when the clocks changed. Daily Mail, 2014-05-12. 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2626707/Crewman-crushed-death-yacht-crash-Daylight-saving-error-lead-misjudged-tidal-times-Sydney-Harbour.html

Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Fatality on board the motor yacht 
Calliope. Marine Occurrence Investigation 297-MO-2013-003, 2014-05-12. 
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/mair/297-mo-2013-003.aspx


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