The club would like to bring to the attention of Members’ a recent Safety Alert issued by the Dutch Safety Board to stop the use of, and to replace, a defective batch of the following pyrotechnics:
PIROLEC Red Rocket Parachute Flare
Type: L-35 / L-35A
Batch: 0525/2021 – 113
The Safety Alert has been published after a preliminary investigation into an accident on board a sailing yacht on the 1st of January 2023, when a flare, being operated in compliance with the instructions, did not launch as intended but immediately exploded, with fatal consequences.
While the Dutch Safety Board has not yet been able to determine whether this is a one-off accident or if a more structural problem exists it is believed that, given the nature of the incident, there is a risk that it is not a one-off incident. Contact has been made with the manufacturer in Spain, who has also warned its customers in Spain and is recalling the specific batch.
Members should bring this Risk Alert to the attention of staff for them to check their pyrotechnics and verify that they do not have any of the defective Batch of PIROLEC Red Rocket Parachute Flares onboard. Where flares of the defective batch are identified these should be withdrawn from use and replaced.
Reference:
Dutch Safety Board:
Alert for use Red Rocket Parachute Flare L-35 (Pirolec) - Onderzoeksraad
Microsoft Word - 230119 AlertFlare EN (onderzoeksraad.nl)
Warning Message on the LECEA (Makers) website:
Pirolec | Marine Safety Signals | Spain (lecea.eu)
For further information please contact the Loss Prevention Department
Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd. Tel: +44 20 7247 5490
