A horrific and high-profile incident involving a domestic commercial vessel has demonstrated that a safety management system is only as effective as its implementation.
25 passengers and 2 crew were onboard Journey Beyond Adventures Pty Ltd owned and operated high-speed commercial vessel Falls Express when it crashed into Horizontal Falls at McLarty Range in the West Kimberley in Western Australia on 27 May 2022.
Charges were laid by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, on referral from AMSA, following an investigation which built a weight of evidence against both the master and company.
Yesterday, the Perth Magistrates Court convicted the master and Journey Beyond Adventures Pty Ltd, operator of a domestic commercial vessel responsible for involved in the Horizontal Falls boat crash in May 2022.
The court took into consideration victim impact statements and safety and training measures when it handed down its verdict.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Acting National Operations Manager David Marsh said it was fortunate that no-one died in the incident which triggered a commendable multi-agency response in a remote location, and an extensive subsequent investigation by the safety authority.
"A safety management system shouldn't be seen as a document that gathers dust on a shelf somewhere - it's a living system that must underpin effective and safe vessel operations," Mr Marsh said.
"Failure to implement a safety management system as it's intended can lead to devastating consequences - for human life, and for businesses.
"This should be a lesson to all adventure ride masters and operators to take safety seriously, and not as a box-ticking administrative exercise."
In the Perth Magistrates Court of Western Australia, the vessel's master plead guilty to two charges contrary to the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law and was fined $12,000 with a conviction recorded.
Journey Beyond Adventures Pty Ltd plead guilty to a single charge and was fined $15,000.
