I have now read this case. The reason that it does not show up in the MAIB reports is because it is a Dutch yacht and the incident occurred outside UK territorial waters. This does not, of course make the experience any less valid and confirms my findings that liferafts are very effective in organised evacuations of slowly sinking yachts, particularly in relatively benign conditions.

There is, of course far more data available worldwide, but it is not necessarily accessible or comparable. A similar review of the French data (where liferafts are compulsory) would be an obvious start as would the US Coastguard. However, this is way beyond the resources of a unfunded curious yachtsman such as me.

Picking up on a couple of other points as the potential use of a dinghy (perhaps part inflated) is suggested as an alternative to a liferaft. In this sort of situation it may well work, although as far as I know there are no recorded incidents from which one can draw any conclusions. But organised evacuations are a minority and in the extreme cases, where even purpose designed rafts have problems, what chance a half inflated dinghy?

The Dec 2004 YM also has two sobering articles on liferafts. They do not give one much confidence in the product. One new Zodiac failed to inflate; it was a Zodiac that failed to inflate in the Megawat incident; I have a Zodiac on my boat. Maybe I should stick to the day job.