SHIPPING companies are being recommended to look again at their evacuation drills following an inquiry into the death of a woman during an exercise on a cross-Channel ferry at Dover.

In a report published today, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport is also recommending that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency should ensure that only lifejackets suitable for the type of evacuation system in operation should be used, and the manufacturers of the system should remove any possible causes of blockage in the chutes.

Lynda McCabe-Jones, 53, who lived at Ashford and worked in the IT department at what was then P&O Stena Line, became stuck in the chute in a “piked” position, with her body horizontal across the chute and her legs vertically above her, after her lifejacket rode up over her body.

Another member of staff went down the chute to try to release her, but she became stuck twice more as she went further down the chute towards the liferaft.

Eventually the bottom of the chute had to be cut to release her, by which time she was unconscious. The air ambulance took her to hospital, but she was dead.

The incident happened on October 9 when the evacuation drill was being carried out on the P&OSL Aquitaine in Dover Harbour.

They were using an RFD-manufactured Marin-Ark marine evacuation system which consists of two vertical chutes leading into two liferafts in the water below.

More than 120 volunteers had gone down the chute when Mrs McCabe-Jones began her descent. Nine seconds later she shouted for help. To start with she was able to speak to those trying to rescue her, but then she fell silent.

The report concludes that it was probable that it was her lifejacket riding up which caused her to become stuck, and her legs being raised in such a way that she assumed a piked position.

The inspectors are recommending shipping companies to look again as selecting suitable people and limiting the number of people in a chute to one at a time.

They should also revalidate their risk assessments and safety cases with regard to the adverse effects of blockages during an actual emergency.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is being urged to take to the International Maritime Organisation recommendations on the approval of lifejackets for specific evacuation systems, and a reporting method should be set up for accidents involving those systems.

Since the accident, a number of risks have been identified and actions have been taken to reduce them.

P&O Ferries now uses an alternative lifejacket which can't be pulled off the person wearing it.