Bearing failure led to catastrophic engine shut-down

An accident probe has found that a component failure was to blame for a "catastrophic" engine failure on a crew transfer vessel off the UK last year.

The 26-gt Windcat 8 (built 2007) was heading to Grimsby from the Lynn Wind Farm in the North Sea on 7 September, with two crew and eight windfarm technicians on board.

Shortly after setting off, the vessel’s port engine suffered catastrophic damage and caught fire, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said.