Casualty News – Professional Mariner

25 Jun

Towboat captain did not identify charted hazard before grounding

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — A towing vessel grounded on a submerged jetty last year after the captain maneuvered too close to a bank of the Ohio River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday. The tow vessel Tom Frazier was pushing 15 empty hopper barges near Portsmouth, Ohio, on Feb. 10, 2024, when the vessel grounded, damaging its hull plating, framing…

25 Jun

Car carrier sinks off Alaska three weeks after fire began

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsU.S. Coast Guard

(KODIAK, Alaska) — The U.S. Coast Guard has concluded its response to a fire on the car carrier Morning Midas, which capsized and sank Monday in international waters approximately 450 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska. The Coast Guard received notification that the vessel capsized at 5:35 p.m. and sank to a depth of approximately 16,400 feet in international waters. Fire…

09 Jun

Speed cited as key factor in fatal Miami Harbor collision

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsU.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — On June 25, 2023, at approximately 3:05 a.m., the small passenger ferry vessel Pelican II was underway northbound from the Fisher Island ferry terminal west, Miami Harbor, en route to the Causeway Island ferry terminal in Miami, Fla. The vessel had three crewmembers, no passengers and no cargo or vehicles on board. At approximately 3:06 a.m., Pelican II…

03 Jun

Sudden severe weather sinks tugboat south of Galveston

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — Severe weather caused an overwhelming towline force and unrecoverable heeling that led to the capsizing and sinking of a tugboat near Galveston, Texas, last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. On May 13, 2024, while towing the barge MARMAC 27 astern on an 800‑foot‑long wire, the tugboat Baylor J. Tregre encountered severe weather, listed to…

02 Jun

Coast Guard cites trip hazards in drowning of towboat deck hand

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — On Jan. 25, 2019 at 2:42 p.m., the towboat Miss Bobbie Fugit reported a missing crewmember (deck hand) and declared a man overboard between Tennessee River mile 206 and 216. The missing deck hand was last seen at approximately 9:40 a.m. on the port bow of the towing vessel preparing materials and tools to splice lines. The deck…

28 May

Ocean research vessel sinks while docked in California

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, UncategorizedU.S. Coast Guard

(ALAMEDA, Calif.) — A well-known environmental research vessel, the 150-foot Kaisei, sank Sunday evening while docked in the Oakland Estuary, SFist.com reported. No one was on board, and firefighters worked to contain the nearly 400 gallons of diesel on the ship. The double-masted replica vessel, operated by the Ocean Voyages Institute in Sausalito, began sinking about 6 p.m. near the…

23 May

Towboat grounded when pilot left helm for bladder break

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — A pilot of a towing vessel on the Mississippi River left the helm unattended for several minutes, leading to a grounding near Thebes, Ill., the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. While the towing vessel City of Louisville was upbound on the Mississippi River pushing 11 barges on July 29, 2023, it ran aground in a charted…

19 May

Engine room fires extinguished on tanker, ferry in Puerto Rico

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsU.S. Coast Guard

(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan marine investigators and vessel inspection teams are investigating two unrelated vessel fires last weekend in Puerto Rico. Both fires were successfully extinguished, and there are no reports of injuries or pollution in either case. Pollution monitoring efforts continue. The most recent vessel fire occurred Saturday morning aboard Scot Stuttgart,…

18 May

Mexican tall ship hits Brooklyn Bridge, killing two

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB

(NEW YORK) — Two people were killed and at least 20 injured Saturday night when a Mexican navy training ship on a global goodwill tour struck the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge, CNN reported. There were 277 people on the sailing ship, Cuauhtemoc, at the time of the incident. Everyone is believed to be accounted for, officials said Saturday. Video…

13 May

Bulker hits St. Marys River light after steering failure

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, NTSB, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — A steering system failure led to a bulk carrier’s contact with a navigational aid in the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. The bulk carrier American Mariner struck the Munuscong Channel Junction Light on March 28, 2024, as the ship was transiting upbound in the St. Marys River.…