Section 266: Owners and masters to observe collision rules

(1)
Every owner, master of a ship and owner and person in command of an aircraft shall obey the collision rules, and shall not carry or exhibit any lights or shapes, carry or use any means of making signals, other than those which are required or permitted by the collision rules to be carried, exhibited or used.
(2)
Where an infringement of the collision rules is caused by the wilful default of the owner or master of a ship, as the case may be, of the owner of any aircraft or of the pilot or other person on duty in charge of any aircraft, that person commits an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine not less than five hundred thousand Naira or to imprisonment for a term not less than two years or to both.
(3)
Where any damage to person or property arises from the non-compliance by any ship or aircraft with any of the collision rules, the damage shall be deemed to have been occasioned by the wilful default of the officer in charge of the deck of the ship at the time or as the case may be, of the pilot or other person on duty in charge of the aircraft at the time, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the court that the circumstances of the case made a departure from the rules necessary.
(4)
The Agency shall furnish a copy of the collision rules to any owner or master of a ship, or any owner or person in command of an aircraft, on the application of that owner, master or person in command.
(5)
This section shall apply in the case of ships and aircraft belonging to the Federal Government as it applies in the case of other ships and aircraft.