In a government announcement, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said it has donated the wreck of the fishing vessel Nicola Faith to Cranfield University. The vessel will be used on Cranfield's Fundamentals of Accident Investigation Course, giving students a case grounded in real evidence rather than a purely classroom exercise. For a public-sector safety audience, the decision is significant because it extends the value of material gathered during a formal investigation. Once the MAIB's inquiry had concluded, the wreck could be repurposed for training while remaining tied to the safety lessons drawn from the original case.
Nicola Faith capsized off Colwyn Bay, Wales, in 2021, with the loss of all three crew members: Ross Ballantine, Alan Minard and Carl McGrath. The MAIB said it carried out an extensive search for the vessel and later salvaged the wreckage so investigators could examine the circumstances of the loss in detail. That sequence explains why evidence preservation matters. Recovering a vessel gives investigators material they can inspect directly, rather than relying only on secondary records or recollection. In accident work, that is often the difference between a partial account and a robust finding.
According to the MAIB, recovery of Nicola Faith enabled a detailed inspection of the vessel and a full investigation into the circumstances that led to its loss. The branch said its report made recommendations intended to improve safety and reduce the risk of a similar accident happening again. This is where an investigation moves beyond establishing what happened. A completed inquiry also feeds into prevention, with recommendations designed to inform safer practice across the sector. In policy terms, the purpose is not only accountability after an incident, but system learning before the next one occurs.
The MAIB said it has donated both the vessel and factual evidence gathered during the investigation to Cranfield University. That material will allow the university to construct a realistic fishing vessel capsize scenario for trainee accident investigators. The training value is practical. Students on the Fundamentals of Accident Investigation Course will be able to apply and test their knowledge through a simulated inquiry built around an actual case, using the type of evidence package that official investigators assemble during formal work.
Nicola Faith will be renamed Pisces II and will replace the vessel Pisces, which Cranfield has used for many years. The government announcement also points to long-established links between the MAIB and Cranfield, giving the arrangement a clear institutional basis rather than presenting it as a one-off transfer. For regulators, universities and training bodies, the donation offers a straightforward model of post-investigation use. Once evidential needs have been met, material recovered during a serious incident can continue to serve the public interest by supporting professional training and better investigative standards.
Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents Rob Loder said the circumstances that led to the MAIB possessing Nicola Faith were deeply tragic, but that the branch was pleased to donate the vessel so it could contribute to future safety learning. He also said the recovery of the wreck had enabled a detailed inspection and a full investigation, with recommendations aimed at preventing a similar accident. The wider public-sector lesson is clear. Evidence preservation, careful investigation and published recommendations do not end with a final report. In some cases, as with Nicola Faith, they can continue into education and training, helping future investigators learn how physical evidence is turned into findings, recommendations and safer practice.