The Merchant Shipping (Returns of Births and Deaths) Regulations 1979

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations revoke and re-enact the provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Returns of Births and Deaths) Regulations 1972 and, in addition—

(1) where a master is unable to perform the duty imposed on him by regulation 3 because he has himself died or is incapacitated or missing, and the death in question has been established as mentioned in regulation 7, the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (“the RGSS”) is required to record the information specified in Schedule 2 about the death (regulation 7);

(2) where an inquest has been held, or there has been a post-mortem examination (or a preliminary investigation) and the coroner is satisfied that an inquest is unnecessary, and it appears to the coroner that the death occurred in a UK registered ship or in an unregistered British ship or, if outside the United Kingdom, was of a person employed in such a ship, the coroner is required to send the particulars specified in Schedule 3 to the RGSS (regulation 8);

(3) a certified copy of the above-mentioned record or return has then to be sent by the RGSS to the appropriate Registrar General specified in regulation 11 (regulation 9);

(4) the maximum penalty which can be imposed on any master who fails to make any return of birth or death required by the Regulations is increased to £50 (regulation 13(2)).