casualty – Professional Mariner

01 Dec

NTSB: Dredge hit Texas gas pipeline, causing fire that killed four

Casualty Newscasualty, casualty news, dredging, fire

Four crewmembers died and at least six others were injured when the dredge Waymon L. Boyd became engulfed in fire while working in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. State and federal agencies are still investigating the incident, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) believes the 152-foot cutterhead suction dredge struck a submerged gas pipeline. The impact ignited a massive…

01 Dec

Casualty Briefs – December/January 2021

Casualty Newsbulk carrier, casualties, casualty, containership, destroyer

Seamanship errors, fatigue cited in fatal collision of destroyer The 2017 collision of the destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the containership ACX Crystal stemmed from failures by the Navy ship’s bridge team in the minutes leading to impact, federal investigators said. Seven American sailors were killed. Specifically, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that Fitzgerald’s bridge crew failed “to take early and…

01 Dec

Fatal dive boat fire attributed to operator’s oversight failures

Casualty Newscasualties, casualty, fire, investigation, Santa Barbara

Before dawn on Sept. 2, 2019, a crewman aboard the dive boat Conception awoke to a strange sound. He investigated and found the vessel’s salon compartment, one deck below, aglow with fire. He awoke four co-workers sleeping nearby, and together they attempted to reach the 34 people sleeping below deck. Flames and intense heat on the main deck made the…

01 Dec

Key NTSB findings

Casualty Newscasualties, casualty, fire

• Most of the victims on Conception were awake but could not escape the bunk room before all were overcome by smoke inhalation. • The source of ignition was not confirmed, although the electrical distribution system of the vessel, unattended batteries being charged and improperly discarded smoking materials were the most likely sources. • Interconnected smoke detectors in all accommodation…

01 Dec

Analysis points to faulty loading, low ballast in Golden Ray rollover

Casualty Newscasualties, casualty

While the salvage of the sunken vehicle carrier Golden Ray was delayed for months due to COVID-19 and the hurricane season, analysis by the U.S. Coast Guard has determined a possible cause for the rollover: a combination of vehicles placed too high on the ship’s decks, and not enough ballast water given the placement of the cargo. On Sept. 8,…

01 Dec

Tour boat holed, takes on water in Thousand Islands grounding

Casualty NewsCanada, casualty, safety

Island Queen III was on a cruise in the Thousand Islands area of the St. Lawrence River when it made contact with the bottom, causing enough damage to flood the vessel’s steering compartment. No injuries were reported, but an investigation revealed safety deficiencies involving life jackets and evacuation procedures. Not long after departing Kingston, Ontario at 1237 on Aug. 8,…

01 Oct

Workboat capsizes during Louisiana oil spill exercise, killing two

Casualty Newscasualty, rescue

A workboat that capsized and sank during a boom deployment exercise on the Lower Mississippi River, killing both people on board, turned broadside to the current moments before it rolled over. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators could not explain why MSRC 8-1 maneuvered abreast to the fast-moving river at mile 18 near Boothville, La., on Jan. 16, 2019. The…

01 Oct

Sandy Hook pilot dies after fall while boarding oil tanker

Casualty Newscasualty

Sandy Hook pilot fell while boarding an oil tanker at the entrance to New York Harbor and later died at a Staten Island hospital. The incident, which occurred at about 2230 on Aug. 5, was the second fatality in eight months involving a member of the Sandy Hook Pilots Association. Capt. Timothy Murray, 40, of Malverne, N.Y., was climbing aboard Eagle…

01 Oct

Sixty-three injured in fire aboard Navy ship; vessel’s fate unknown

Casualty Newscasualty, fire, Navy

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) sustained extensive damage from an onboard fire that started while it was tied up in San Diego, and Navy officials say it is too soon to know if the amphibious assault ship will return to service. Sixty-three people were injured fighting the fire, which was discovered July 12 at 0830 and burned for four days.…

01 Oct

Marquette blames captain, pilot after crane barge hits bridge

Casualty Newscasualty, NOAA

Kristin Alexis approached the west span of the Sunshine Bridge near St. James, La., pushing the crane barge Mr. Ervin. The pilot at the controls of the towboat assumed the crane standing 136 feet over the water would pass under with room to spare. Moments later, at 0141 on Oct. 12, 2018, the crane’s A-frame struck the highway bridge at mile…