Casualty News – Page 379 – Professional Mariner

02 Aug

Coast Guard releases tape of radio warning to the Mel Oliver

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (NEW ORLEANS) -- The Coast Guard has released preliminary findings from the independent formal investigation into the collision that occurred on the Mississippi River near downtown, Wednesday, July 23, 2008 between the vessels Tintamara and Mel Oliver, as well as recordings from the Vessel…

30 Jul

DRD Towing had previous casualty involving unlicensed tug pilot

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (NEW ORLEANS) -- Recent incidents involving tug boats owned or operated by DRD Towing prompted the Coast Guard to closely look into the operations of other vessels operated by them. A preliminary Coast Guard investigation has uncovered that the crewmember piloting the tug boat…

28 Jul

Crane, barge partially submerged at Florida marina

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (TITUSVILLE, Fla.) -- The Coast Guard is responding to a partially submerged crane and barge in the Titusville, Fla., area Monday morning. The Coast Guard received a report that a 90-foot crane and barge partially submerged in the water at the Titusville Municipal…

26 Jul

NOAA reports ‘heavy shoreline impacts’ from New Orleans spill

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the National Oceanic and Atmopheric Administration: (NEW ORLEANS) -- NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration and the NOAA National Weather Service are on scene in New Orleans aiding in the response to the estimated 419,000 gallons of #6 fuel oil spilled early on the morning of July 23 when…

25 Jul

NTSB: Empress of the North grounded due to inexperience

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the National Transportation Safety Board: (WASHINGTON) -- The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the probable cause of the grounding of the Empress of the North was the failure of the officer of the watch and the helmsman to navigate the turn at Rocky Island, which resulted…

24 Jul

Mississippi River spill was 419,286 gallons of fuel oil

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (NEW ORLEANS) -- The Coast Guard is continuing to respond to the oil spill on the Mississippi River which has expanded to cover an area of 58 miles. The Lower Mississippi River is closed from mile marker 98, just down river of the Harvey…

23 Jul

Barge splits in half after river collision between tug, tanker

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(NEW ORLEANS) -- A tugboat and a 600-foot tanker collided on the Mississippi River at New Orleans, the Associated Press reported. The tug's barge split in half, and witnesses reported a smell of diesel fuel in the vicinity. The Coast Guard closed a 12-mile stretch of the river during the emergency response, and two ferries could not operate. Click here…

23 Jul

New Orleans oil spill a ‘tragedy,’ Cummings says

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md.: (WASHINGTON) -- Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, released the following statement in response to the release of more than 400,000 gallons of # 6 oil into the Mississippi River as the…

21 Jul

Four recreational boaters killed in collision with barges

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

Potomac, a 1,700-hp towboar shown here in 2006 photo on Ohio River near Paducah, Ky., had just left Wilson Lock on the Tennessee River when the towboat and its two barges collided with a 32-foot recreational vessel. Four people on a recreational boat were killed when the vessel collided with barges being pushed up the Tennessee River along Wilson Lake…

21 Jul

Boatswain lost after falling from accommodation ladder

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

A boatswain preparing a pilot accommodation ladder on the side of a bulk ship was killed when he fell 30 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard said he was not wearing a life vest. The fatal casualty, which involved equipment failure, happened March 30 aboard the 738-foot Vitapride. The vessel was off the coast of Louisiana, about…