Casualty News – Page 386 – Professional Mariner

02 May

Collision between tanker and tow forces closure of a stretch of the Mississippi

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

A collision on April 23 between the tanker Stolt Creativity and a barge being pushed by the towboat Norb Whitlock forced the closure of the Mississippi near Geismer, La. The tanker suffered minor damage, a 5-foot indent in the bow, and one of the tow’s 16 barges sank. Initially the river was closed to all traffic for two days. Subsequently,…

02 May

Charter boat captain sentenced to 6 years for death of 3 passengers

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

An Oregon charter boat captain was sentenced on May 18 to six years imprisonment for causing the deaths of three of his passengers while attempting to cross the Umpqua River Bar after it had been closed by the Coast Guard. This sentence is the harshest ever imposed under the 170-year-old Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute. The government argued that the charter boat…

02 May

Tug crew praised for rescuing sailors following collision with schooner

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

A tugboat and sailboat collided in the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, causing the 96-year-old schooner to sink in a matter of moments. The weather was calm at about 0330 on May 14 when the 71-foot tug Schuylkill collided with Heron, a 45-foot wooden sailboat built in 1911 and home ported in Port Monmouth, N.J. There was only a slight easterly…

29 Apr

Stalled research vessel uses quahog dredges to slow its drift

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (BOSTON) -- The Coast Guard safely towed a University of Rhode Island research vessel with two people aboard into port after it lost power east of Point Judith, R.I., about 10:30 a.m., today. Personnel aboard the 50-foot vessel Cap'n Bert, homeported in Wickford, R.I.,…

25 Apr

Report: Maneuver, weak safety practices doomed Bourbon Dolphin

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(OSLO) -- A Norwegian Commission of Inquiry has released its report on the sinking of the oil-service tug Bourbon Dolphin, the Norway Post newspaper reported. The vessel sank, killing eight mariners, when it changed course while the inner starboard vessel towing pin was depressed, causing the chain to rest against the outer port towing pin. The government report also said…

25 Apr

Buckled sand barge closes Miami River for five days

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (MIAMI) -- The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Capt. Karl L. Schultz, has fully re-opened the Miami River at 8 a.m. Thursday, to all marine traffic after a barge carrying sand became partially submerged Saturday. The 195-foot barge had reportedly buckled between the Dolphin…

23 Apr

Car carrier goes adrift after crew battles engine room fire

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

The following is the text of a press release issued April 11 by the U.S. Coast Guard: (PORTSMOUTH, Va.) -- The 577-foot Panamanian flagged merchant vessel that fought and extinguished an on-board fire Thursday remains adrift this morning approximately 1,200 miles east of Cape Cod, Mass. Fourteen of the 23 crew members have been safely transferred from the motor…

22 Apr

Loss of steering led to fiery collision in New York’s Verrazano Narrows

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

After the collision, the crude oil aboard the tanker caught fire, creating a ball of flames that licked the car deck of the bridge 228 feet above the water’s surface. (Associated Press) Just before midnight on June 1, 1973, CV Sea Witch left Staten Island, N.Y., carrying 445 containers below deck and 285 containers above deck. Built by Bath Iron…

21 Apr

Two barge accidents at Wilson Dam kill total of 5 people

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(FLORENCE, Ala.) -- A total of five people were killed in separate accidents involving barges at the Tennessee River's Wilson Dam, the TimesDaily newspaper of Florence, Ala., reported. A deckhand was killed when he fell from a row of barges that were locking through the dam. Earlier, four recreation boaters were killed on Wilson Lake when a barge struck their 32-foot…

19 Apr

Tanker officer fined C$20,000 for fatal explosion in 2006

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News

(ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland) -- The senior officer of the MV Kometik has been fined C$20,000 for labor violations that led to a fatal explosion aboard the tanker, CBC reported. A deckhand died and a welder was disfigured in the 2006 accident in Conception Bay. In court this week, the senior officer accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty. Click here to view…