Emergency Contact Caution is Required in Reduced Visibility Home Latest updates Publications Caution is Required in Reduced Visibility 23 May 2014 Sign up for alerts A version of this document is also available for owners and operators of yachts, to assist them with their specific yacht operations. View/download PDF's: Shipowners - Caution is required in reduced visibility  Yachtowners - Caution is required in reduced visibility  Caution is required in reduced visibility Category: Navigation Vessel type: Passenger vessel Issue date: 16/03/2012 Case number: 26912 The incident In this case a double decker passenger ferry was making its way in port at a speed of about 4 knots. Weather conditions were poor and visibility restricted by thick fog to less than 100 feet. In his statement the master commented that the aft wheel house could not be seen from the forward wheel house. The vessel’s automatic fog signal was on, sounding every 90 seconds. The vessel’s radar was originally set at 0.75 miles, and was subsequently increased to 1.5 miles. At 09:03hrs the master observed a high speed catamaran on the radar, on a collision course off the starboard side. It was moving very fast and was at a distance of approximately 1.2 miles. On adjusting the radar back to 0.75 miles, it became apparent the catamaran was less than 0.75 miles away. The master immediately ordered the vessel full astern and blew three short blasts on the ships whistle, but there was little that could be done to avoid the collision which occurred less than a minute later. It was subsequently established that the catamaran was doing 31 knots despite the poor visibility. Three passengers from the catamaran were airlifted from the scene, one with a severed foot, the other two with reported spinal injuries. In addition 24 passengers sustained minor injuries. Observations The catamaran had cut across the bow o