UK Maritime Accidents and Drowning Statistics 2026

An orange RNLI inflatable lifeboat on its launch trailer on a slipway — File photo: an RNLI Atlantic 85 lifeboat on its launch carriage at Newcastle, County Down, January 2026. Photo: Ojsyork via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Fewer deaths, more calloutsUpdated 4 October 2026

Trend summary

Fewer people drown around the UK than a decade ago, and commercial fishing, long Britain’s most dangerous job, has had some of its safest years.
202 people died in accidental water-related incidents in the UK in 2025, up from 193 in 2024 but about 41% below the 2013-15 baseline of 344.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch received 1,585 accident reports in 2025 and opened 16 investigations, seven involving loss of life.
HM Coastguard’s workload keeps rising: 39,147 incidents in 2024-25, up from 36,330 three years earlier.

202accidental water deaths, UK, 2025

39,147HM Coastguard incidents, 2024-25

1,585marine accident reports to MAIB, 2025

2fishing crew deaths in 2024, equal lowest in a decade

What the numbers show

The National Water Safety Forum’s WAID database recorded 202 accidental water deaths in 2025: 150 in England, 39 in Scotland, 12 in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. 57% were inland, at rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and 85% of those who died were men. The 2025 figure is well below the 2013-15 average of 344, though short of the strategy’s goal of halving deaths by 2026.

On the water itself, the MAIB annual report says two fishers died after falling overboard in 2025 and two UK fishing vessels were lost. In 2024, four people died on UK commercial vessels and 13 on recreational craft, seven of them on the yacht Bayesian.

What is driving it

Fishing remains the outlier. A study of 160 deaths (Roberts, 2010) found a fatal accident rate 115 times that of the general workforce, mostly drowning or hypothermia after a vessel loss or a fall overboard. MAIB’s Chief Inspector points to small boats with little watertight subdivision, fatigue, and, for merchant ships, poor lookout and watchkeeping. Drowning risk on the coast and inland falls mostly on men and on people out for recreation.

Recent cases

25 September 2026: MAIB reports on the longliner Argos Georgia, which sank near the Falklands in July 2024 with the loss of 13 of its 27 crew (MAIB).
2 February 2026: the master of the container ship Solong is convicted of gross negligence manslaughter over a crew member’s death in the March 2025 collision with the tanker Stena Immaculate (CPS).
10 March 2025: Solong hits the anchored Stena Immaculate off the Humber estuary, starting a fire; MAIB publishes an interim report on 3 April (MAIB).

Press releases and official reports, 2023–2026

Five key releases a year for the last four years, newest first. Most come from UK government departments, regulators, accident investigators and national statistics; a few news reports are included where they are the clearest public record of an event. Releases from 2007–2022 are in the expandable list after 2023.

View 20 years of major UK maritime safety press releases (2007–2026)80 more from 2007–2022, five a year, newest first

2022

16 Dec 2022MAIBReul A Chuain report and safety flyer published
8 Dec 2022MAIBStand up paddleboarding accident report published
23 Jun 2022MAIBNicola Faith report and safety flyer published
22 Jun 2022MAIBJoanna C report and safety flyer published
9 Jun 2022MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2021 published

2021

3 Dec 2021MAIBAchieve and Talis report and safety flyer published
20 Jul 2021MAIBStolt Groenland report published
9 Jun 2021MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2020 published
31 May 2021MAIBFishing vessel Nicola Faith recovered from seabed
20 May 2021MAIBSeadogz interim report published

2020

10 Dec 2020MAIBSunbeam report and safety flyer published
25 Nov 2020MAIBMarine Accident Statistics report 2019 published
15 Oct 2020MAIBSafety bulletin published for the Diversion investigation
8 Jul 2020MAIBAnna-Marie II report and safety flyer published
30 Jun 2020MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2019 published

2019

16 Dec 2019MAIBStolt Groenland interim report published
3 Oct 2019MAIBPriscilla report published
17 Jul 2019MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2018 published
30 May 2019MAIBNancy Glen report and flyer published
26 Mar 2019MAIBSafety Bulletin 1/2019 published

2018

6 Dec 2018MAIBSolstice report and flyer published
19 Oct 2018MAIBSafety Bulletin 4/2018 published
1 Aug 2018MAIBSafety Bulletin 3/2018 published
4 Jul 2018MAIBVaruna report and flyer published
27 Jun 2018MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2017 published

2017

7 Sep 2017MAIBTransocean Winner and ALP Forward report published
10 Aug 2017MAIBVasquez report published
31 Jul 2017MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2016 published
27 Jul 2017MAIBLouisa report and flyer published
8 Feb 2017MAIBCity of Rotterdam and Primula Seaways report published

2016

3 Nov 2016MAIBAnnie T, Harvester and Apollo reports published
9 Aug 2016MAIBSafety bulletin published for the Love for Lydia investigation
7 Jul 2016MAIBJMT report and flyer published
21 Apr 2016MAIBCemfjord report published
17 Mar 2016MAIBHoegh Osaka report published

2015

18 Nov 2015MAIBOcean Way investigation report and safety flyer published
27 Jul 2015MAIBMAIB Annual Report 2014 published
20 Jul 2015MAIBExclusion zone declared
20 May 2015MAIBShoreway/Orca report and flyer published
5 Jan 2015MAIBMAIB investigations launched

2014

28 Aug 2014MAIBPerson overboard from passenger ferry Snowdrop resulting in recovery of a young child from the water
3 Jul 2014MAIBFire started by used vehicle's electrical defect on main deck of ro-ro cargo ferry Corona Seaways
10 Apr 2014MAIBCollision between tug Christos XXII and its tow, former fisheries protection vessel Emsstrom which later sank
10 Jan 2014MAIBFlooding and sinking of potter Achieve with loss of 1 life
9 Jan 2014MAIBSinking in heavy weather of under 12m netter JCK with loss of 1 life

2013

12 Jun 2013MAIBStructural failure of general cargo vessel Swanland resulting in it sinking with loss of 6 lives
7 Jun 2013MAIBPersons washed overboard from general cargo vessel Timberland during heavy weather with loss of 2 lives
2 May 2013MAIBFlooding and sinking of potter Purbeck Isle with loss of 3 lives
26 Mar 2013DfTFuture of UK helicopter search and rescue agreed
10 Jan 2013MAIBCapsize and sinking of under 12m ring netter Heather Anne with loss of 1 life

2012

16 Aug 2012MAIBPerson overboard during unmooring operation on ro-ro passenger ferry Ernest Bevin with loss of 1 life
19 Jul 2012MAIBParting of fall wire during a rescue boat drill on car carrier Tombarra with loss of 1 life
23 May 2012MAIBCollision between tug Chiefton and its tow resulting in tug capsizing and sinking with loss of 1 life
17 May 2012MAIBGrounding of container vessel Karin Schepers
8 Mar 2012MAIBPerson overboard from potter About Time with loss of 1 life

2011

3 Nov 2011MAIBPersons overboard from creelers Discovery and Breadwinner during single handed operations with loss of 2 lives
14 Jul 2011DfTGovernment announces updated coastguard reforms
11 Jul 2011DfTSearch and rescue interim contract
17 Mar 2011MAIBCollision between ro-ro passenger vessel Scottish Viking and prawn trawler Homeland with loss of 1 life
14 Mar 2011DfTModernisation of the coastguard service

2010

16 Dec 2010DfTModernisation of coastguard services
16 Sep 2010MAIBCollision between bulk carrier Alam Pintar and potter Etoile des Ondes resulting in potter sinking with loss of 1 life
7 Jul 2010MAIBCollision between offshore circuit racing powerboats Sleepwalker and Harwich 2011 with loss of 1 life
11 Jun 2010MCAMCA solent maritime rescue co-ordination
15 Apr 2010MAIBCapsize and sinking of scallop dredger Aquila with loss of 3 lives

2009

3 Sep 2009MAIBGrounding and subsequent loss of ro-ro cargo vessel Riverdance
24 Jun 2009MAIBHeavy weather encountered by passenger cruise ship Pacific Sun with 77 people injured
25 Mar 2009MAIBFire on twin rig prawn trawler Vision II, used as overnight accommodation, with loss of 3 lives
14 Jan 2009MAIBGrounding of ro-ro passenger ferry Pride of Canterbury while sheltering from heavy weather
6 Jan 2009MAIBEntry to enclosed space on passenger cruise ship Saga Rose with 1 person injured and loss of 1 life

2008

30 Sep 2008MAIBGirting and capsize of tug Flying Phantom while towing bulk carrier Red Jasmine with 1 person injured and loss of 3 lives
9 Jul 2008MAIBEntry to enclosed space on emergency response rescue vessel Viking Islay with loss of 3 lives
30 Jun 2008MAIBSinking of motor cruiser Last Call in heavy weather with loss of 3 lives
22 Apr 2008MAIBStructural failure of container vessel MSC Napoli and subsequent beaching
25 Jan 2008MAIBCollision between oil products tanker Audacity and general cargo vessel Leonis

2007

27 Sep 2007MAIBCollision between high speed passenger ferry Sea Express 1 and general cargo vessel Alaska Rainbow
4 Sep 2007MAIBCapsize and sinking of pair trawler Meridian while on guard ship duties with loss of 4 lives
14 Aug 2007MAIBKeel failure and capsize of sailing yacht Hooligan V with loss of 1 life
12 Apr 2007MAIBSinking of sailing yacht Ouzo after encounter with ro-ro passenger ferry Pride of Bilbao with loss of 3 lives
31 Jan 2007MAIBGrounding and sinking of stern trawler Brothers with loss of 2 lives

Photo list

Satellite image of black smoke plumes over the North Sea off eastern England — Satellite view of smoke from the Solong and Stena Immaculate collision, North Sea, 10 March 2025. Photo: CSU/CIRA and NOAA/NESDIS via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

A large container ship at sea under grey skies — File photo: a container ship in the English Channel, 1993. Photo: Gary Todd via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

How this page is built. Figures come from the official statistical releases linked above; where agencies publish provisional numbers we say so, because they are revised. UK statistics are often published separately for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so we say which area each figure covers. Photos are public-domain, Creative Commons or Open Government Licence images credited in each caption; file photos are illustrative and are not from the events described unless the caption says so. This page tracks trends and is not personal safety, medical, legal or financial advice.