Merchant Shipping Act 1970

61 Inquiries into deaths of crew members and others

(1) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, where—

(a) any person dies in a ship registered in the United Kingdom; or

(b) the master of or a seaman employed in such a ship dies in a country outside the United Kingdom;

an inquiry into the cause of the death shall be held by a superintendent or proper officer at the next port where the ship calls after the death and where there is a superintendent or proper officer, or at such other place as the Board of Trade may direct.

(2) The superintendent or proper officer holding the inquiry shall for the purpose of the inquiry have the powers conferred on an inspector by section 729 of the [1894 c. 60.] Merchant Shipping Act 1894.

(3) The person holding the inquiry shall make a report of his findings to the Board of Trade and the Board shall make a copy of the report available—

(a) if the deceased person was employed in the ship and a person was named as his next of kin in the crew agreement or list of the crew in which the deceased person's name last appeared, to the person so named ;

(b) in any case, to any person requesting it who appears to the Board of Trade to be interested.

(4) No inquiry shall be held under this section in a case where, in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, a coroner's inquest is to be held or, in Scotland, an inquiry is to be held under the [1895 c. 36.] Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1895 or the Fatal Accidents and [1906 c. 35.] Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1906.