Working Conditions Aboard the Durward-Knowles

On the morning of August 30, 2025, the Bahamian patrol boat 'Dunward Knowles' experienced a significant incident while navigating towards Matthew Town, Inagua. At approximately 7:54 a.m., the vessel faced a mechanical failure related to its controllable pitch propeller system, leading to an unexpected loss of control. Despite the bridge team’s attempts to reverse the engines, the boat surged forward, resulting in a collision with a jetty nearby. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among the crew or damage to other Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) vessels that were docked nearby. However, the incident did cause damage to both the pier and the port side bow of the 'Dunward Knowles'. This vessel had recently undergone technical repairs at Fort Pierce earlier in the summer to address similar issues, highlighting a concerning recurrence of the malfunction. In response to the incident, a comprehensive technical review and assessment has been initiated to identify the necessary corrective actions to prevent future occurrences. For further details, you can watch the relevant reports and videos at the following links: https://ewnews.com/investigation-launched-after-rbdf-vessel-incident-in-inagua/ https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=670080816105304 https://www.instagram.com/p/DN_15-qD-v0/