A fatal incident off the coast of Saint-Tropez this weekend, where a semi-rigid 8-meter tender collided with a mooring buoy at 2 a.m., underscores the amplified dangers of nighttime tender operations.
The incident left a 37-year-old man dead and three others seriously injured after the force of the impact ejected all seven passengers into the water. Despite a major rescue effort, which included SNSM patrol boats and a Navy helicopter, the body of the missing passenger wasn’t recovered until the following morning.
The accident is sadly not an isolated incident. In the cloak of darkness, the potential for something to go wrong multiplies. “Most tender ops, including fuel, trash, passport runs, or others, should be left for daytime, ideally,” says Patrick Levitzke, second officer on a 197-foot expedition vessel. “Chances are you’ve been running guests around and have already had a full day. I try to avoid night tender ops for that reason — having a tired operator — as awareness is paramount. Instead of simply by sight, navigation needs to be done by instruments, ideally radar if fitted, GPS, history tracks, simple land fixes and tiny lights; there is no visual lay of the land.”
The need for greater caution is also supported by the fact that many crew begin their careers with basic certifications, such as the RYA Powerboat Level 2 or the IYT Small Powerboat and RIB Master, yet neither course includes night hours. For more specialized training, crew must take the RYA Tender Operator Course, which is only available in Europe.
“The reason we do the RIB Master or the Powerboat Level 2 is to instill that safety element from the beginning,” explains Mark Schwegman, co-owner of Professional Yacht Training in Fort Lauderdale. “You hope that they keep on with it, but I think a lot of the time they kind of neglect it; they think that it’s not that important anymore. The vessel itself might not enforce it, and complacency sets in.”
Mark has also observed troubling habits among crew, such as using cell phones while driving tenders. “You see them driving the tender with their phone in their right hand, searching the web or whatever,” he says.
Distractions at night are particularly dangerous, especially when dealing with unruly or intoxicated guests. “Tender ops at night are more than likely going to involve drunk guests,” Patrick adds. “Despite them owning the multimillion-dollar tender you’re driving, their safety is still your responsibility.” His advice? Always have an extra crew member on board to help manage any difficult passengers.
When night runs are unavoidable, Patrick offers three key tips. First, always maintain reliable communication with the main yacht using VHF channels or phone reception when close to land. Second, ensure you have the most up-to-date charts and redundancies—charts on the console and backup systems like Navionics on an iPad or phone. Third, make sure all life-saving appliances are on board and accounted for, including life jackets, grab bags, and EPIRBs.
According to Mark, “All the little safety things add up. Just missing one, you might get away with it, but if you don’t have the kill cord on, and you aren’t visually aware and you’re being sidetracked, all three of those put together create a big issue.” The ocean doesn’t forgive complacency, he adds. “When you think you know everything, or you think you’re the best, that’s when it brings you back down to ground.”
The investigation into the Saint-Tropez accident is ongoing, and it will likely examine if speed, visibility, and navigational errors contributed to the crash. But regardless of the outcome, the lesson is clear: safety on the water is non-negotiable, and when it comes to nighttime operations, the stakes are even higher.