The official report has now been published into the damage caused to the CGN’s paddle steamer Simplon lying alongside the tiny pier at Cully on Lake Geneva in a storm on the night of Good Friday 29/30th March 2024.
Simplon left the shipyard at Lausanne Ouchy at 09.15 on the morning of Thursday 28th March for trials on the lake after major work on her crankshaft during her winter refit but did not get far before the crankshaft overheated and she was forced to stop.
The official report, which is in French, runs to 147 pages. Here is my stab at translating the chronology of events following Simplon’s breakdown as set out in the report into English.
Chronology
Thursday 28th March 2024
09.00: Simplon is scheduled to set off from the shipyard at Ouchy to run trials but Captain 1 is not well and so goes home. The operations office looks for a replacement and asks Captain 2 who was in the shipyard at the time in charge of the workshop. He accepts but does not consult the weather forecast before taking over Simplon.
09.05: After a short briefing between Captain 2 and the Technical Office regarding the trip, Simplon leaves for trials on the lake. There is a little wind from the SW but the forecast is unfavourable predicting stormy weather.
09.11: Simplon backs out from the shipyard
09.15: Trials start testing the crankshaft (which had been completely refurbished during the winter) under the supervision of Mécanicien Vapeur 2 replacing Contremaître Vapeur who is on holiday. The weather conditions were considered fine for trials which were not expected to last that long.
09.24: Following excessive overheating of the big end bearing of the high pressure (HP) piston of the main steam engine which showed by the appearance of smoke, as the sensor temperature monitoring was out of service, speed was reduced and the engine stopped. The wind was increasing a little and it started to rain.
09.25: The Simplon is being set towards the shore off Lutry with a drift speed estimated at 1.47 km/h. On request from the captain, the office consults with the company’s First Captain and decides to send the Ville de Geneve to Simplon’s aid to tow her back. She sets off from Ouchy at 09.40. The usual practice is for vessels to be towed alongside each other but as there is a slight lop Ville de Geneve is damaged when moored alongside Simplon.
10.35: Simplon arrives off Ouchy but the wind and the unavailability of the two small tugs in the yard prevent her from berthing there.
10.46: MeteoSwiss bulletin announces a stormy wind warning on the Haut Lac and announces bursts of the Vaudaire ( a very strong SE wind) on Haut-Lac between 75 km/h and 80 km/h from 12h to 24h, for Friday March 29, 2024. According to the weather report, a relatively calm situation is forecast for Friday morning.
11.03: In consultation with the First Captain a decision is made to take Simplon to berth at Cully which is relatively protected from the SW wind.
11.37: The operations office, worried of meteorological developments for Cully, contacts dedicated forecaster MeteoSwiss to find the best weather window to bring the boat back.
12.00: Simplon arrives at Cully
12.30: Operations planner 1 asks to bring Simplon back from Cully taking into account the weather forecast (strong Vaudaire). The Dir. Operation leaves the operating office without further discussing the matter for tests on the Naviexpress1 in company with the First Captain and Dir. Technical and with a crew assembled at unexpectedly short notice as the planned crew was otherwise engaged on Simplon.
12.50: Ville de Genève leaves Simplon at Cully to take up the service between Lausanne and Thonon.
13.00 – 15.00: The Dir. Operations, Dir. Technique and the First Captain are on board the NaviExpress1 for
navigation tests in bad weather. The conditions are ideal for the Naviexpress1 tests with the wind now west 15-20 knots.
13.18: SMS message with weather maps of the storm forecast for Friday 29th March received.
13.29: The operations office contacts MeteoSwiss (G3 Tower) in order to obtain slots to bring back Simplon to Ouchy before the intensification of the Vaudaire. The forecaster confirms a possible window Friday morning.
13.57: An email is sent by the Operational Manager asking to validate that the Simplon remains in Cully despite strong vaudaire from Friday and offers a solution to bring her back on Friday morning.
14.00 The Dir Expl forwards the message to the First Captain
14.30: The decision is made to leave Simplon at Cully for the whole weekend by Dir. Expl. and the First Captain. Towing her back will take place on Tuesday April 2, 2024, after the Easter weekend.
14.50: The DG notifies the Dir. Expl and Dir. Mark. that he informed a journalist from Le Matin of the situation that, following damage during testing, Simplon is moored at Cully rather than towed to Ouchy for safety reasons due to the weather. He says that he has informed the municipal council of Bourg-en Lavaux J-P. DEMIERRE that the Simplon would be brought back on Friday March 29 morning or Tuesday April 2 after the Easter holidays. According to the DG’s statements, the option of bringing her back on Friday was therefore still on the table, even though it had already been decided by the Dir. Expl. and the First Captain to leave Simplon at Cully for the weekend.
14.50: The operations office contacts the company Protectas for the engagement of an agent in charge to monitor Simplon 24/24 until Tuesday April 2.
15.00: Crew return from Simplon to the shipyard at Ouchy. The Naviexpress1 test is also finished. The Dir. Expl. chats with the crew of Simplon in the shipyard including Captain 2. He proposes to bring back Simplon on Friday morning, but it has already been decided to leave the boat at Cully for the whole weekend. The Dir. Expl. thanks them for what they have done. There is a discussion of the pros and cons of bringing Simplon back in the different weather conditions
15.09: An article appears in Le Matin about Simplon being tied up at Cully.
15.45: The Dir. Expl. and The First captain confirm the mooring of Simplon at Cully without having gone there. As a result after discussion the First captain joins captains 2 and 4 and return to Cully in the car. However nobody questions the decision to leave Simplon at Cully.
15.50: The decision is communicated by the Dir. Expl. in the office to the operating staff (5 people present) and towing is arranged for Tuesday April 2. Then the office staff and operating officer leave the office.
18.00: N. BORGOGNON from MeteoNews reads the article in Le Matin which triggers a certain number of actions on his part to raise awareness among the CGN of the situation. He contacts the Dir. Technique letting him know his worry about the situation with Simplon berthed at Cully. The latter responds that the operation is his responsibility. M BORGOGNON publishes an explicit press release on the danger of leaving the boat in Cully on X and on Facebook. It attracts attention to N. BORGOGNON and indicates that he unsuccessfully attempted to inform someone at the CGN.
20.00: Protectas start monitoring Simplon at Cully. Round the clock surveillance by Steam Mechanic 1 aboard Simplon.
Evening: New weather alert about the vaudaire wind for Friday on the site of MeteoSwiss.
Friday 29th March 2024
06.00 – 17.00: Lake conditions are favourable for towing Simplon back to Ouchy. The southwest wind
which had prevented the towing, which was 28 km/h with gusts 60 km/h on Thursday afternoon,
in the Grand-Lac, fell to 6 km/h on Friday morning.
07.39: MeteoNews post on X: “Attention ! If there is a weekend where basic caution would recommend not to leave a CGN boat at Cully landing stage, it’s this one. A violent blowing vaudaire is very likely Friday March 24 in the evening!”
08.15: Call from the First Captain to Operational manager saying “We have difficulties”.
10.43: MeteoSwiss forecast forecast a south/southeast wind (Vaudaire) in the Haut-Lac rising and strengthening.
11.08: Call from a journalist from Le Matin to the general manager for him to react to the alert from MeteoNews regarding the danger of leaving the Simplon at Cully due to the Vaudaire storm announced in the second part of the day. The DG replied that the decision was taken to keep Simplon at Cully precisely because of the presence of wind which makes the towing dangerous and that the CGN is monitoring the situation. It was no longer possible to tow the Simplon due to the wind already present and the deterioration in the forecast announced.
From 1700: The vaudaire gets up and the situation goes down hill.
17.05: Call from Mecanicien 1 to report a snapped mooring rope.
17.15: Situation starts to deteriorate. Call to the First Captain
18.00: The first captain who is in Ticino decides to return.
18.16: Call from the First Captain asking the emergency services to intervene
18.26: Call from the First Captain to Dir. Technical and Dir. Expl. to inform him that he is returning from Ticino on the train and that the situation is critical.
19.00: Arrival of emergency resources (firefighters, police). They limit the scope and implement technical means (electricity, lighting, truck command, etc.). No intervention on the ship before the arrival of the Director Technical around 9 p.m.
20.04: Call from the Operations Director to General Manager to inform him of a deterioration of the Situation. More personnel are dispatched.
20.17: General email then sent for the collection, availability and planning for the night to come and Saturday morning in two teams with reliefs. Coordination with an operations planner.
20.19: A message from the First Captain to the Dir. Technical about the situation and asking if it was necessary to empty the boiler.
20.22: Call from Dir. Technical to First captain to say that he is going there. Call from Dir. Assistant technique steam mechanic foreman to ask his opinion on the decision to empty the boiler. They decide to empty it. The deputy steam mechanic foreman informs the Technical Director that he is on his way to Cully. The Dir. Technique decides to go there and leave by car from his home (Rolle). He informs the Operations Director by telephone, then the entire management committee have WhatsApp chat.
21.00: Arrival of the Technical Director. He takes command of rescue measures in collaboration with the emergency services.
23.49: Pumps maintain the boat afloat despite taking on water.
Saturday March 30th
00.30: First Captain arrives.
00.54: Increased cracking of the hull and ingress of water near the rudder.
02.05: Cracks in hull above the waterline. A weather window is announced from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Decision to tow Simplon back to Ouchy on Saturday morning.
Between 04.00 and 05.00: One of the hull rivets pops out. Second leak noted in the engine room . The assistant foreman steam mechanic finds a solution to plug the leak.
05.00: The Technical Director recommends that firefighters do not proceed with pumping fuel oil tanks due to the stabilization of the boat and its probable return to Ouchy in order to avoid the risk of pollution
when pumping.
06.15: Weather calms down.
07.23: Confirmation that Simplon will be moved this morning.
07.57: The Technical Director asks the head of the design office to organize the deployment of a team of welders in the shipyard to make temporary repairs and ensure Simplon can go in the floating dock.
09.24: The parts of torn steel around the starboard sponson cut away to free Simplon.
10.06: Simplon is finally free from the pier and is now under tow of Leman under the command of the First Captain.
12.10: Simplon is back in the shipyard at Ouchy.
The report goes into considerable detail over a wide range of issues relating to this unfortunate incident and makes eighteen recommendations for the future.
The panel of four experts concluded that the risks associated with the ship’s trials had been underestimated. They also criticized the fact that the decision to moor the ship in Cully after it broke down was not reversed despite several warnings and although there was apparently a weather window that would have allowed the ship to be moved to the Ouchy shipyard.
In their report, the experts found that the organization of the CGN company was inadequate with regard to the identification and management of crisis situations. The Board of Directors stated in response that the shortcomings identified were being taken very seriously and that it was committed to remedying them.
Taking note of the report the Director of Operations considers that he is no longer the person best able lead the necessary changes. The Board of Directors of the CGN shares this opinion and so by mutual agreement it was decided that he would leave the company. Also the current General Manager of CGN will not be involved in this process for much longer. It is reported that he will step down from his position on 31st May 31, 2025.
If you would like to read the full report in French click here: Rapport_denquete_SIMPLON_25.09.2024.pdf
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild which is designed to set her up for the next 25 years running on the River Dart. The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust is now fund raising for the second phase of the rebuild. You can read more about the rebuilds and how you can help if you can here.
John Megoran
