Tragedy boat trip 'ill-conceived'

Andrew Carrick, his partner Jill Russell and his brother John, all died

Three people, who died when their boat was overwhelmed by large seas as they left harbour, did not recognise the dangers they faced, a report has said.

Two brothers and a woman, all from Middlesbrough, died after their 24ft cabin cruiser overturned off Whitby, North Yorkshire last November.

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report concluded the decision to sail was "ill-conceived".

It said no-one on board had even a basic level of seamanship.

Andrew Carrick, 45, his partner Jill Russell, 48, and his brother John Carrick, 36, were killed when the boat - named Last Call - capsized.

'Lack of training'

As the vessel left, a lifeboat radioed to warn of the danger of strong winds that had created 16ft-high waves at the harbour entrance.

But there was no reply and the cruiser continued towards the harbour entrance where it was hit by two large waves in close succession.

The second wave caused Andrew Carrick, 45, and his brother John, 36, to fall overboard.

While Andrew Carrick's partner Jill, 48, was reporting the incident to the coastguard using a mobile phone the craft capsized.

The report said: "The decision to sail Last Call in the prevailing conditions was ill-conceived.

"Without a basic level of seamanship and navigational knowledge, no-one on board the boat was able to judge the limitations of Last Call, or recognise the dangers they faced.

"The skipper's and crew's lack of training and qualification in the use and operation of small craft contributed significantly to the accident."