Article 4
Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a formal investigation should be held into the circumstances or causes of, or into any particular matter relating to, a shipping casualty or incident, he may direct that a formal investigation be held and conducted in accordance with these Rules by a wreck commissioner. The wreck commissioner shall be assisted by one or more assessors appointed by the Lord Chancellor if the formal investigation is to be held in England, Wales or Northern Ireland or, if the formal investigation is to be held in Scotland, by the Lord Advocate.
The Lord Chancellor shall maintain a list of assessors who have the qualifications set out in the Schedule hereto and may, at any time, add or withdraw the name of any person to or from the list.
If any question as to the cancellation or suspension of an officer's certificate is likely to arise, the wreck commissioner shall be assisted by not less than two assessors:—
two of whom shall be, in the case of a master or deck officer, mercantile marine masters;
one of whom shall be, in the case of a marine engineer officer, a mercantile marine engineer, and one a mercantile marine master;
one of whom shall be, in the case of a fishing vessel officer, a mercantile marine master and one a fishing vessel skipper.
In any case in which paragraph (3) above applies, wherever possible at least one of the assessors appointed shall have had experience in the same capacity and in the same type of ship as the officer concerned.