Casualty News – Page 371 – Professional Mariner

24 Oct

Pilot errors blamed in Cosco Busan spill accident report

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(SAN FRANCISCO) -- The State Board of Pilot Commissioners has ruled that the Cosco Busan oil spill in 2007 was the fault of the pilot aboard, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. In an 18-page report, the board said the pilot failed to read an electronic chart, sailed when it was too foggy and sailed at an unsafe speed. The pilot's…

24 Oct

Apprentice: Mel Oliver captain was absent to be with girlfriend

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(NEW ORLEANS) -- A Mel Oliver apprentice testified that the captain was absent from the tugboat because he had returned home to solve a problem with his girlfriend, the television station WWL reported. While the captain was gone for two days, the tug was involved in an oil spill that closed the Mississippi River for several days in July. The…

23 Oct

Death toll now 5 in Alaska fishing boat disaster: VIDEO

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (JUNEAU, Alaska) -- The Good Samaritan fishing vessel Patricia Lee recovered two of four missing fishermen from the fishing vessel Katmai at approximately 8:40 p.m. today. Earlier today four crewmembers were recovered safely from a life raft by a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk from…

22 Oct

Three dead, 4 missing in sinking of Alaska fishing vessel

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (JUNEAU, Alaska) -- An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter is recovered 4 survivors in good condition from the fishing vessel Katmai 100 miles west of Adak Island in Amchitka Pass as the search continues for 4 of 11 still missing. A Coast Guard MH-60 crew recovered…

21 Oct

Good Samaritan vessel capsizes during aid response; 21 rescued

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas) -- The Coast Guard and a couple Good Samaritans rescued 21 people 100-yards south of the jetties in Port Aransas, Texas late this morning. A watchstander at Coast Guard Station Port Aransas received a call at approximately 11:10 a.m. from a…

21 Oct

Two rescued from foundering research boat off New Jersey

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(CAPE MAY, N.J.) -- The two-man crew was rescued safely from a research vessel that began taking on water off New Jersey, the Cape May County Herald newspaper reported. The 72-foot Robert E. Hayes, with four hydraulic legs, begain foundering and drifting about 14 miles from Cape May. The Daily Times newspaper of Salisbury, Md., reported that the captain of…

16 Oct

Probe: ‘Poor’ survival suits led to death of 2 Canada tug crewmen

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland) -- "Poor" and waterlogged survival suits and miscommunication among rescuers doomed the two-man crew of a tugboat that sank off Newfoundland in January, the Canadian Press reported. The armed forces investigators said the two men aboard the Check Mate III donned their survival suits properly, but the suits were full of water when rescuers reached them. The…

16 Oct

Tugboat spills fuel near Ontario island wind turbine project

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(WOLFE ISLAND, Ontario) -- A tugboat spilled almost 400 gallons of fuel in the area of the Wolfe Island wind turbine project, the Watertown Daily Times newspaper of Watertown, N.Y., reported. The fuel leaked from the Sea Hound, which is operated by a project subcontractor. Environmental crews and the Canadian Coast Guard responded and cleaned up the fuel. Click here to…

16 Oct

Ohio to collect $5M in damages for 2005 barge accident at lock

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(ATHENS, Ohio) -- The Ohio transportation department will collect $5 million from American Electric Power as a result of a barge accident that damaged roads along the Ohio River, the Columbus Dispatch newspaper reported. The 2005 accident happened when the towing vessel Jon J. Strong was pushing coal and iron ore barges through Belville Lock and Dam in heavy rain.…

15 Oct

Teen vandals firing marine flares may have started ship fire

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(HALIFAX, Nova Scotia) -- A fire aboard a vacant former Canadian Coast Guard ship may have started by teenaged vandals who shot off marine flares, the newspaper Metro Halifax reported. A witness said he saw teens on the ship previously, and the fired off flares that apparently had been remained on the vessel while it was still in use. The…