GIBRALTAR MARITIME ADMINISTRATION(Ministry of Maritime Affairs)

Watergate House
2/8 Casemates SquareGibraltar

Tel (+350) 200 46862 / 47771 / 50424
Fax (+350) 200 47770
e-mail: maritime.survey@gibraltar.gov.gi
maritime.registry@gibraltar.gov.gi

Shipping Guidance Notice 043 – Death of a Seafarer______________________________________________________________________________
To: Ship Owners, Operators and Classification Societies

Preamble:This notice provides advice to Masters, Ship owners, Ship Operators and Proper Officers on the minimum
requirements and when an inquiry is required following:
1.
2.
3.

the death of a person on board a Gibraltar registered ship,
when a seafarer dies ashore following an accident on board or,in the case of a person lost overboard .

References:

Shipping Guidance Notice 053 – Reporting Accidents & Safety Incidents
Shipping Guidance Notice 042 - List of publications / documents to be carried on board
Gibraltar ships
Gibraltar Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting & Investigation) Regulations, 2012

Glossary / Definitions:
Doctor:
Proper Officer :MAICO:GMA :OLB 1:RBD1 :
Ship:

aAmedical practitioner registered to practise medicine
British Consular officer, GMA marine accident investigator, GMA Flag Stateinspector.
Gibraltar Marine Accident Investigation Compliance Officer
Gibraltar Maritime Administration
Official Logbook
Report of Births & Deaths Form
Any ship or vessel registered in Gibraltar and issued with a Certificate of BritishRegistry

In a case where the Master himself is deceased, then read “Chief Officer or Chief Engineer” instead of theMaster in the following.

Section 1: General requirements for reporting Deaths – All cases.
1.1 Masters are required to report the death of a person on board a Gibraltar registered ship:
1.1.1
1.1.2

1.1.3
1.1.4

Form RBD 1 and a GMA Report of Accident / Incident (Shipping Guidance Notice 053) must
be completed, signed and dated by the Master.
Relevant section of the Official Log Book (OLB1) must be completed and details relating tothe circumstances leading up to the death , how and where the body was found shall berecorded in the Narrative section of the OLB1 by the Master.
In the case of a man overboard, the cause of death may be recorded as “missing – lostoverboard and presumed dead”.
Initial notification to the GMA by scanned copies of each document shall be emailed without
delay to the GMA.

1.2 The lower left side box on page 2 of the RBD 1 is endorsed / completed by a Proper Officer .
1.3 In the case of death due to an accident, the Gibraltar MAICO will determine whether an investigationis required and he will appoint an Inspector to conduct such investigation when necessary.

Section 2: On ships with a doctor as a member of the ship’s staff.
2.1 The doctor on board shall add his/her account of the death in the OLB Narrative section, stating causeof death, sign and date the entry with his/her name printed in full.
2.2 When the doctor determines that the cause of death was natural causes or a known medical
condition of the deceased, the Master shall arrange for the RBD1 and OLB 1 to be taken to a British
Consulate for an officer there to act as the Proper Officer as soon as possible.
2.3 The Proper Officer shall endorse the RBD1 (lower left side on page 2) and endorse the Master’s entry
in the OLB.
2.4 In cases where the doctor is unable to state that the death was due to natural causes or to a known
medical condition of the deceased, or in the case of a man over board, in addition to complying withSection 1 above, the Master shall immediately inform the GMA and the authorities at the next port or at
the ship’s location. The MAICO and the local authority will independently determine how the matter is to
be investigated and inform the GMA. The GMA will advise the Master who will endorse the RBD1 formand OLB.

Section 3: Death on ships not carrying a doctor as a member of the ship’s staff.
3.1 In addition to complying with Section 1 above, the Master shall inform the GMA, the authorities atthe next port, or at the ship’s location, and request the attendance of a doctor on board to determine thecause of death. The attending doctor should provide the Master with a Death Certificate. When thecause of death cannot be determined by the attending doctor, a Post Mortem is required.
3.2 A copy of the Death Certificate or results of the Post Mortem shall be scanned and sent to the GMA
without delay.

13.3 The local authorities and the MAICO will independently determine how the matter is to beinvestigated and inform the GMA.
3.4 The GMA will advise the Master who will endorse the RBD 1 and OLB 1.

Section 4: Death of a seafarer ashore as a result of an accident on board.
4.1 A post mortem is invariably required when there has been an accident resulting in death.
4.2 In addition to complying with Section 1, a copy of the death certificate or results of the post mortem
shall be scanned and emailed to the GMA without delay.
4.3 The local authorities and the MAICO will independently determine how the matter is to beinvestigated and inform the GMA.
4.4 The GMA will advise who will endorse the RBD 1 and OLB1.

Section 5: Death of a seafarer ashore not as a result of an accident on board.
5.1 Once the RBD 1 is fully completed (Master’s section & Proper Officer’s endorsement) it shall be sent
to the GMA by courier. A photocopy of the RBD1 is not acceptable.
5.2 Photocopies of OLB1 entries, Death Certificates and other supporting documents are acceptable andshall accompany the original RBD1.

Notes:A British Consul will recognise a Gibraltar registered ship as a British ship.
RBD1 Forms and OLB 1 may be obtained free of charge on request for Gibraltar registered ships from thefollowing:
EC Group, Europa Park, Magnet Road, Grays, Essex, RM20 4DN, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 0845 603 2431 Fax +44 1375 484 556 mca@ecgroup.co.uk

Reports & documents may be emailed to maritime.survey@gibraltar.gov.gi and couriered to :The Maritime Administrator, Gibraltar Maritime Administration, Watergate House, Casemates Square,Gibraltar

Richard Montado
Maritime Administrator
Issue date: 18 February 2013
All notices are available through www.gibraltarship.com
This copy of the Administrative Instruction has been sent electronically and does not carry a signature or official stamp. A sign andstamped copy will be available upon request2