AMURAS - Very Serious Maritime Casualty
Vessel: AMURAS
GAMA reference: 2026-291
Data da ocorrência acidental: 28-07-2026
Circulated on: 27-08-2026
Published on: 28-09-2026
Casualty Event: Flooding (massive/progressive)
Summary
On 27 July 2026, at about 22:30, the Portuguese-flagged coastal fishing vessel AMURAS departed from the port of Figueira da Foz for purse-seine fishing operations. During the fishing operation, the vessel caught an exceptional quantity of small fish. The fish became heavily enmeshed in the net, significantly increasing the weight of the fishing gear. Faced with this situation, the crew abandoned the catch and recovered the net, which was stowed in the aft part of the vessel. For about 45 minutes, the vessel remained stopped while the crew placed water in tubs at the bow in order to compensate for the distribution of weights on board. After completing this operation, the vessel began the return voyage to the port of Figueira da Foz with the propulsion engine engaged very slowly ahead. On 28 July 2026, at about 12:55, the vessel berthed at the second northern quay of the Figueira da Foz fishing port. At 13:15, the skipper informed the owner that the vessel was berthed. About two minutes later, he observed the vessel beginning to list to port. At about 13:40, the Figueira da Foz Harbour Master was informed that the vessel had sunk alongside the quay.
Safety recommendations
SR 2026-291 1
Addressed to: APMSHM
Assess the means of raising awareness among owners, skippers and crews of the importance of requests for assistance made by skippers of vessels in an emergency, recognising such requests as a potential safety barrier intended to reduce exposure to risk and increase the options available for managing the occurrence. GAMA received a response to the proposed safety recommendation. The addressee agreed with the proposed safety recommendation.
SR 2026-291 2
Addressed to: APMSHM
Assess the means of disseminating this report among its members and strengthening the ability of owners, skippers and crews to manage situations involving severe enmeshment of fishing gear, including the prior identification of options which, where operationally feasible, allow the weight associated with the gear to be reduced or shared and the remaining weights to be stowed in the lowest and safest possible positions. This assessment should consider, among other options suited to the characteristics of each vessel and operation, dividing the gear, cutting net sections and requesting assistance, in order to preserve the vessel's available stability and recovery margin. GAMA received a response to the proposed safety recommendation. The addressee agreed with the proposed safety recommendation
Lessons learned
A vessel's stability depends not only on the amount of weight carried on board, but also on the position of that weight in relation to the centre of gravity. Stowing heavy weights above the main deck can raise the vessel's centre of gravity. A higher centre of gravity reduces the metacentric height and the available righting levers, thereby reducing the vessel's ability to return to equilibrium after an inclination. In these circumstances, a vessel becomes more vulnerable to further movement of loads and to progressive loss of stability.