# The Merchant Shipping (Accident Investigation)Regulations 1989, Regulation 5: Duty to Report Accidents


(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), when an accident occurs the master shall send a report to the Chief Inspector as soon as is practicable by the quickest means available, and in any case not later than 24 hours after the ship next arrives at a port.
(2) Where a ship is lost or presumed lost or is abandoned, then such a report shall be sent by the owner, the master, or a senior surviving officer as soon as is practicable by the quickest means available.
(3) A report made to a Marine Office of the Department of Transport or to HM Coastguard, or a report made under the Merchant Shipping (Safety Officials and Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1982, or the Fishing Vessels (Reporting of Accidents) Regulations 1985 shall be regarded as complying with regulation 5(1).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1172/regulation/5 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-accident-investigationregulations-1989/regulation-5
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.