Royal Navy officer abandoned night watch on £143 million frigate leaving ‘scared’ trainee in charge
Lieutenant Samuel Hanney was convicted of negligently abandoning his watch on HMS Sutherland, leaving a trainee officer as the only person monitoring the frigate’s safety. The case matters because the officer of the watch was responsible for keeping a proper lookout and supervising the bridge team while the ship was at sea.
The incident took place on 3 April 2025 as the ship travelled from Plymouth towards Lyme Bay. Hanney went behind a curtain to work at a computer; he said he was away for 14 minutes, while computer records indicated activity over 21 minutes. Trainee Lieutenant Thomas McNally had completed only 100 of the 600 hours needed to qualify and said he froze when he realised nobody was looking out of the windows. A fleet navigating officer told the court that absences from the bridge should usually last two to three minutes, and no more than five.
- A Royal Navy officer was convicted over leaving his watch on HMS Sutherland.
- A trainee with 100 of 600 qualifying hours was left monitoring the ship alone.
- The officer spent at least 14 minutes away from the bridge lookout.
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HMS Sutherland is a Royal Navy frigate. On a voyage in April 2025, Lieutenant Samuel Hanney, the senior officer on duty on the bridge, left his post unattended, leaving trainee Lieutenant Thomas McNally to monitor the ship's safety alone. McNally had completed only 100 of the 600 hours of training required to fully qualify for this responsibility.
The officer of the watch is responsible for maintaining a constant lookout for other vessels and hazards whilst at sea, normally by observing from the bridge. Naval guidance restricts such absences to just a few minutes, yet Hanney was away for at least 14 minutes, with computer records suggesting the period may have extended to 21 minutes. McNally, still in training, found himself as the only person responsible for monitoring the ship's safety.
This incident occurred as HMS Sutherland sailed from Plymouth towards Lyme Bay. The case raises questions about whether proper safety procedures and oversight were maintained aboard the vessel during the voyage.