Latest news with #RoyTemme
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Daily Mail
'Extremely qualified' chief engineer onboard a £50million superyacht died when he failed to isolate the power during repairs, inquest told
An 'extremely qualified' chief engineer onboard a £50 million superyacht died from electrocution after failing to isolate the power during repairs, an inquest heard. 'Dedicated' Roy Temme was working in a 'hot and sweaty' tiny compartment on the luxury 62.5 metre superyacht when he was fatally electrocuted. The 47-year-old experienced 230 volts of electricity jolting through his body after failing to take the necessary precautions when working with live wires, an inquest into his death heard. A colleague who found Mr Temme slumped in the enclosed compartment also experienced a mild electric shock when they touched his body. Jason Pegg, acting senior coroner for Hampshire described the father-of-two as an 'extremely qualified' chief engineer, having served in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary before moving to a private yacht. It was heard that Mr Temme, from Southampton, loved his job on the luxurious Baton Rouge superyacht, which was docked in Falmouth Harbour in the Caribbean island of Antigua at the time of his death. The superyacht, which even has its own beach club onboard and a deck pool complete with jets, has just been put on the market for €60 million (£51 million). Accommodating up to twelve guests, it can be chartered at a weekly cost of $500,000, the equivalent of £368,250. Winchester Coroner's Court heard that Mr Temme told the ship's captain he would carry out necessary repair work on the overpressure duct compartment. The pair had agreed on a maximum of 10 minutes inside the duct at any one time before taking a rehydration break, due to its high temperatures of 55 degrees celsius. He began the work shortly after 7.30am on February 23, 2024, keeping in constant communication with the yacht's chief officer via a radio. It wasn't until around an hour later, when he entered the duct for the third time to continue his work, that he was electrocuted. Alarms were activated onboard whilst the second engineer and the chief officer rushed to the duct where they found Mr Temme slumped over. The chief officer tried to move him but suffered a minor electric shock himself, making it clear that Mr Temme was still touching the live wires. Emergency services were called and the engineer was taken to a hospital on Antigua where he was tragically later pronounced dead. During a post-mortem it was found that Mr Temme had full thickness burns on his hands which showed where the 230 volts of electricity had entered his body. The medical cause of death was given as hypoxia and partial burns. The inquest was told he had failed to take the additional precautions recommended for work where the electricity cannot be turned off. Recording a conclusion of death by misadventure, the coroner said the conditions in the duct were 'oppressive' and had resulted in an 'unintended consequence'. As a result of the tragic incident, Mr Pegg told the inquest that procedures on yachts chartered by Nigel Burgess Ltd had been changed and existing ones reinforced. Mr Temme's wife, Nataliya Temme, raised concerns during the hearing that Nigel Burgess Ltd, the yacht's operator, had acted 'unprofessionally' and 'lied to her about the cause of her husband's death'. She alleged that during an initial phone call about the incident she had been 'lied to', adding: 'They did not bother to ask if I was alone or not, my daughter was in the car. 'They said he was doing his usual rounds and he collapsed on deck, I found out the real cause from the media. 'It was evidently unprofessional, I was disrespected... how they behaved is not acceptable.' However, Mr Pegg said this was not within the remit of the inquest as it did not concern how Mr Temme had died. Mr Pegg, who described Mr Temme as a 'much loved husband and father', said that his devastated wife would remember him as a 'strong man, a family man, a very dedicated man, someone who was cheerful with a great sense of humour'. Addressing Ms Temme directly, he added: 'To you, the children, wider family and friends you have my genuine and sincere condolences. '(Mr Temme) is desperately missed I am sure'.
The Independent
17-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
British engineer died on £50m superyacht in Caribbean after being electrocuted during repair work
A British engineer died on a luxury superyacht in the Caribbean after being electrocuted while repairing a fault, an inquest has heard. Roy Temme, from Southampton, was one of the 17-strong crew of the 62.5 metre-long Baton Rouge in February 2024 when it was moored in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua. He embarked on the repair of the ventilation damper in an enclosed compartment of the vessel. An inquest held at Winchester Coroner's Court heard the 47-year-old father-of-two could only work for 10 minutes at a time in the overpressure duct compartment because of the temperatures ranging between 50C and 55C – which required him to take ventilation breaks. Coroner Jason Pegg told the hearing that a report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that Mr Temme had not isolated the electricity for the repair and the electric breaker was found to be still on. He added that no permit had been sought to carry out the electrical repairs on the yacht, which had no guests on board at the time. Mr Pegg said that Mr Temme was 'hot and sweaty' while repairing and this would have aided the electricity to flow through his body. The coroner added that Mr Temme was found by the chief officer, who himself received an electric shock from him. A statement read to the inquest from Mr Temme's widow Natasha said: 'He's an amazing father, amazing husband, always cheerful, great sense of humour. 'Roy was a strong man, family man, sober habits, courteous and always willing to help.' The coroner added: 'The evidence would suggest that when Roy embarked on that task which involved the electric circuits on the ship, there was no making safe of the electrical system by Roy or anyone else.' He said that a post-mortem report found that Mr Temme, who had previously served in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, had suffered cardiac arrest caused by the electric shock which also caused burns to his body. This then led to hypoxia – oxygen deficiency – which caused Mr Temme's death. Recording a conclusion of misadventure, Mr Pegg said that he would not be producing a prevention of future deaths report as the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had stated that 'procedures had been reviewed and existing ones have been reinforced'. Luxury superyacht Baton Rouge, which costs £358,000 a week to charter, boasts five decks and seven cabins and offers accommodation for up to 12 guests and features a beach club and gym on board. Made in 2010, it is currently on sale for €59,950,000 (£51,143,045) and also comes equipped with two £20,000 Yamaha Waverunner jet skis.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- BBC News
Engineer electrocuted on superyacht, inquest hears
A chief engineer on a superyacht was electrocuted while carrying out a repair in 50C (122F) heat in a machinery compartment, an inquest has Temme, 47, from Southampton, died on the vessel Baton Rouge which was moored in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, in February father of two was found dead after electrical current passed through his body for several minutes, Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg told the hearing in recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure. Mr Temme chose to replace a component without isolating the electrical supply, Mr Pegg told the coroner read from a previous Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report, which said: "It cannot be known why the C/E [chief engineer] started work without isolating the electrical circuits or taking any of the additional COSWP [Code of Safe Working Practices] precautions for working on live electrical equipment. "It is possible that he was trying to save time and effort despite the risk."The MAIB previously said hotel services and air conditioning would need to have been shut down to make the circuit a statement, Mr Temme's wife Natasha described him as an "amazing father and husband" who was "always cheerful... strong, professional and courteous".She told the court: "There was no-one to help him... Even if he was crying for help there was no-one there."The coroner said the chief officer who found Mr Temme slumped on 23 February received an electric shock said: "Roy was working in temperatures of 50 to 55C. He was hot and sweaty which aided the electrical flow through his body."He was a much-loved husband and father and was extremely experienced and qualified."The yacht's operator, Nigel Burgess Ltd, previously told the MAIB it had updated its safety procedures in the light of Mr Temme's death. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
