(WASHINGTON) — About 2200 on May 10, 2025, the sailing school vessel Oliver Hazard Perry started taking on water while moored at Fort Adams State Park dock in Newport, R.I. About 0730 the following morning, a crewmember was awoken by an alarm and discovered the flooding. An estimated 21,000 gallons of seawater entered the engine room and the forward auxiliary machine space. There were no injuries and no pollution was reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $1 million.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause of the engine room flooding was a failed seawater cooling supply pipe for a diesel engine-driven generator due to corrosion.
Contributing to the extent of the damage was the lack of a bilge alarm annunciator in the accommodation spaces to alert onboard crewmembers to the flooding, and a watertight bulkhead and watertight door that did not prevent progressive flooding.
Lessons learned
Emergencies, such as flooding or fire, pose a substantial threat to personnel and property, especially if they go unnoticed and are not addressed quickly. Minor incidents that remain unaddressed can have catastrophic results. When a vessel is in layup or moored with reduced crew and its normal operating stations – such as the bridge or engine room – unattended, it is imperative that any crewmembers on board be notified of emergencies without delay to allow for a timely response. Alarm or other notification systems should be configured such that crewmembers, even in accommodation spaces, are notified immediately in case of flooding or other emergency.
Click here to read to complete incident report.
– National Transportation Safety Board
