Two people died after a rigid inflatable boat travelling at unsafe speed struck a navigation beacon in Portsmouth Harbour while its driver was under the influence of alcohol, a UK accident investigation has found.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said the RIB Peaky Blinder allided with navigation beacon 81 on the evening of 14 August 2025.
The boat’s owner, who was driving, and two passengers were thrown into the water.
One passenger was recovered unconscious and was later declared dead. The owner’s body was recovered five days later, while the second passenger survived with minor injuries.
The MAIB found that Peaky Blinder was being operated at an unsafe speed immediately before the impact, placing its occupants and other harbour users at risk.
Investigators also found that the owner was under the influence of alcohol, which substantially increased the likelihood of an accident.
None of the three people on board was wearing a personal flotation device. The MAIB said this meant PFDs were unavailable to reduce the consequences of their entering the water.
The report also concluded that regulation, enforcement and education within the recreational boating community had been ineffective in influencing behaviour around alcohol consumption on the water.
The King’s Harbour Master, Portsmouth, has been recommended to take action to improve compliance with speed limits contained in the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005.
The MAIB has also recommended that the UK Secretary of State for Transport bring into force existing provisions covering alcohol limits for non-professional mariners under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
Further recommendations call for proportionate secondary legislation defining which recreational mariners would be covered and for a national education and awareness campaign.
“It is well understood that consumption of alcohol results in an elevated risk of having an accident,” Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents Rob Loder said.
“The introduction of alcohol limits for recreational boaters has been the subject of previous MAIB recommendations.
“It is to be hoped that action will now be taken, such that fatal accidents in which excessive alcohol consumption is a contributing factor become a thing of the past.”
