Offshore Accidents
What is the “Safer Seas Digest” and How Can It Help You Offshore?
Last month, we wrote a blog on the top three lessons the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had learned from its annual report on maritime accidents. The 72-page report looked at 29 major maritime accidents. Since then, the NTSB has released its annual “Safer Seas Digest,” which crewmembers can use in training and safety…
Read MoreWhat Caused the Deepwater Horizon Accident?
You may have stumbled across the trailer of a movie titled Deepwater Horizon, starring Mark Wahlberg. The trailer begins with a child who describes her father’s job working on an oil rig that later undergoes a terrible disaster. Then, the text “Based on a true story” appears. Deepwater Horizon is based on the true events…
Read MoreNew Jersey Tugboat Crewmen Tragedy Occurs at an Oil Depot
Last October, a crewmember of a tugboat fell from a barge ladder and into the water at an oil depot in New Jersey. The 55-year-old’s body was recovered the following day by police divers. The Coast Guard is still investigating to determine if the death was caused by negligence. So far, the investigation has shown…
Read MoreMustard Gas Exposure On Fishing Boat
New Bedford, Massachusetts – Investigators are pondering if Mustard gas made the crew of the 145-foot ESS Pursuit sick off the coast of Long Island last Sunday. The New Jersey Based clam boat was reported to have pulled up eight military shelves, possibly dating back to the World War I era. Crewmen have begun the process…
Read MoreAre You Working On an Unsafe Tugboat?
Tugboats may be small compared to the loads they carry. However, they are solidly built, powerful and serve one of the most important purposes at a harbor. While tugboats are on average 150 feet long, they can produce up to 3,400 horse power. Larger tugboats can produce more than 27,000 horse power to haul barges…
Read MoreThings You Should Know About Working on Superyachts
When a 22-year-old professional yacht cadet who loved sailing signed on to be a superyacht deckhand, he thought he’d found his dream job. Like many superyacht workers, he pictured himself traveling the world while working aboard a beautiful, luxury yacht. He drowned nearly two weeks later. The inquiry that followed ruled the incident was an…
Read MorePrevent Rigging Injuries with These Tips from OSHA
Rigging is an important part of working in a shipyard or on a vessel. Workers who implement rigging use ropes, chains, cables, cranes and other hoisting materials to support their loads. Unfortunately, employers who do not take proper precautions expose riggers to many hazards, causing injuries such as crush accidents, amputations, falls, electric shock or…
Read MoreFeds Investigating Fatal Pacific Santa Ana Drillship Accident
The Associated Press reports that federal investigators are looking into the death of a worker that occurred on October 20 on a drillship in the Gulf of Mexico. The news source reported that the accident took place about 200 miles south of Lake Charles, La., in an area known as Keathley Canyon block 96. The…
Read MoreDo Manholes Pose a Danger to Shipyard Workers?
Colonna’s Shipyard, a ship repair facility, is facing $101,000 in possible fines for negligence. More specifically, the company is accused of violating 12 safety and health regulations, including four repeat offenses. For instance, a worker in the Norfolk, Virginia facility was welding a part of a U.S. Navy vessel in an area that happened to…
Read MoreCould Drones Replace Human Captains on Cargo Ships?
Could Drones Replace Human Captains on Cargo Ships? 75 percent of accidents at sea are caused by human error. A European Union-funded research project called MUNIN is hoping to make the seas a whole lot safer by creating autonomous ships that can sail themselves from port to port using drones. Are Drones Safer than Humans?…
Read MoreLobstermen Rescued After Nine Hours in Raft
Even experienced boaters can have mishaps on the water. All it takes is a dark night, some thick fog and an inconveniently positioned rock or two. Two Maine lobstermen spent one terrifying night adrift in an inflatable life raft after their fishing vessel hit a ledge in thick fog last month and quickly sank. The…
Read MoreTowboat Grounding Result of Mate’s Poor Training
Our oceans are one of the most important resources on Earth, and yet many businesses treat them like a dumping ground, allowing poorly trained crews to make avoidable mistakes. Time and again we hear of chemical leakage, oil spills, sunken ships and other atrocities that wreak havoc on the ecosystem and lead to crewmember injuries.…
Read MoreExperienced Massachusetts Boater Involved in Fatal Accident
Safe boating is nothing to take lightly. Even the most experienced boaters can fall victim to tragic accidents. Last week, we shared the sad story of a Navy veteran who drowned during a weekend fishing trip. That man was an experienced swimmer and obviously knew his way around watercraft. Calm seas, however, can still be…
Read MoreInjured Fisherman Airlifted to Safety
BOSTON- Two aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod coordinated the hoist of an injured fisherman from a vessel about 115 miles east of Nantucket around 7p.m., Sunday. The fishing vessel Neves reported to Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England that a crewmember had suffered a Injured Fisherman Airlifted to Safetyback injury and needed…
Read MoreCould Improved Training Help Lower Accident Rates?
Could Improved Training Help Lower Accident Rates? DNV GL, the world’s largest ship and offshore classification society, has declared the dire need for a massive reduction in the number of accidents occurring throughout the shipping industry. Tor Svensen, president of DNV Maritime and Oil & Gas, announced that a trend which had been improving is…
Read MoreMan Killed after Boat Capsizes Off South Carolina Coast
A January 25 boating accident left one person dead, according to WMBF News in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The accident happened at about 5 p.m. near the jetties in Murrells Inlet when a vessel capsized and left two boaters in need of assistance. “The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Beach Patrol and Deputies, Garden City/Murrells Inlet Fire…
Read MoreNew Jersey Passing Law Increasing Boating Accident Penalties?
On January 14, a bill cleared the New Jersey state Senate that would toughen the punishment for leaving the scene of a boating accident that results in a serious or fatal injury. According to the Brick Patch, under the current law, aside from being illegal, there is no set penalty for leaving the scene of…
Read MoreBarge Washes Up on New York Beach After Detaching From Tugboat
Barge Washes Up on New York Beach After Detaching From Tugboat A 125-foot deck barge washed up on Atlantic Beach in New York on January 14 after detaching from a tugboat that sank into the Atlantic Ocean. The tug and barge were separated after a “large swell” around 7:30 p.m. on January 13, according to…
Read MoreNew Jersey Barge Worker Injured When Struck by Boom
A boom crane struck a New Jersey barge worker on January 21 on the Passaic River, causing serious injuries that required emergency rescue teams. According to the Lyndhurst Fire Department, when the worker’s injury was originally called in, it was described as just a “nosebleed.” However, when emergency crews arrived, they found the barge worker…
Read MoreDo I Need A Lawyer After a Maritime Accident?
After a maritime accident, victims are often told by vessel owners that they will “take care of them,” in order to prevent getting an attorney involved. However, it is important that you contact an attorney immediately after your maritime accident to ensure that you will get the compensation you deserve. Oftentimes, if someone is injured…
Read MoreMassachusetts Man Charged in Boating Accident That Killed 10-Year-Old
A Massachusetts man was convicted on January 20 for the death of a 10-year-old boy in a boating accident that occurred in August 2010. According to prosecutors in the case, Steven Morse was intoxicated when he was operating a powerboat on Norwich Lake at the time of the accident. Morse drove his powerboat into a…
Read MoreNew Jersey Snow Storm Sets Hudson River Barges Adrift
Two large construction barges were set loose from the Tappan Zee Bridge on January 3 during a recent snowstorm, causing more scrutiny over the area that has been criticized for safety concerns since a fatal accident last summer. One of the barges made it 15 miles before officials recovered it; the other traveled a shorter…
Read MoreMaritime Trial Lawyer: New Hampshire Man Convicted in Fatal Boating Accident
A New Hampshire man has been convicted on two counts of negligent homicide for a fatal boating accident that occurred on Northwood Lake in July 2012. The man was convicted by a jury on December 19 and is being held without bail. After deliberating for three hours, the Rockingham County jury came to an agreement…
Read MoreCoast Guard Ends Search for Missing Boston Fisherman
Coast Guard Ends Search for Missing Boston Fisherman The Coast Guard called off their search the day after a fisherman went overboard off a Boston fishing boat, F/V LYDIA MAYA, southeast of Cape Ann, Massachusetts on December 19. The search for the missing fisherman was called off on December 20 after the Coast Guard deployed…
Read MoreMaritime Trial Lawyer: Tug-Barge Breaks Apart in Alaskan Ice
An integrated tug-barge (ITB) fell apart after hitting river ice off the Alaskan Coast this summer. The ITB and its crew was working to remove debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami when the accident occurred on July 24. Two men were on the vessel when it slammed into large pieces of ice, breaking apart most…
Read MoreInvestigation Into 2012 Fatal Engine Room Fire Finds New Safety Rules are Needed
An investigation done by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found that an oil spray started the fatal 2012 engine fire that killed a tugboat’s chief engineer. The fire occurred on March 27, 2012 aboard the Patrice McAllister on Lake Ontario. Federal Officials are reviewing the incident to determine if additional safety regulations are…
Read MoreTulsa Man Charged in Fatal Boating Accident Pleads Not Guilty
The man charged with two counts of first degree manslaughter in a Grand Lake boating accident that killed two people in May pleaded not guilty on December 13. The accused man was allegedly the operator of the boat that collided into an empty 96-foot houseboat on Grand Lake near Arrowhead Yacht Club. The accident killed…
Read MoreNorth Carolina Ferry Accident Injures Passengers, Crew
A ferry ran aground on Battery Island, North Carolina on December 17, injuring more than 12 people, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The passenger ferry was carrying 53 passengers at the time of the accident. One passenger was flown to a local hospital, while 12 others were taken to regional hospitals. Seven other passengers…
Read MoreWales Ferry Accident Caused by Crew Fatigue, Officials Say
A ferry accident in Holyhead, Wales may have been caused by crew exhaustion and unfamiliarity with the vessel’s equipment and safety procedures, according to an official report. The ferry accident occurred in February when the vessel collided into a port in Anglesey and punctured a hole in the hull, flooding the pump room. All 77…
Read MoreCrews Resume Search for Victim of Ohio River Barge Accident
Search and rescue crews resumed their search on December 11 for a missing worker that was involved in a barge accident on the Ohio River the day before. On December 10 around 4 a.m., the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call that a worker on a barge owned by Hunter Sun and Gravel…
Read MoreFiancé of Woman Killed in Hudson River Boating Accident Sues Operator, Barge Owners
The fiancé of a woman killed in an August boating accident on the Hudson River has sued the operator of the boat at the time of the accident and the owners of the construction barge that the boat collided with. Brian Bond was on the boat at the time of the accident that killed his…
Read MoreNew Jersey Ferry Accident Injures Several On Board, Including Captain
A New Jersey ferry accident on November 30 injured several people on board, including the vessel’s captain. The ferry hit a Jersey City pier 300 yards north of the dock it was traveling to, causing many passengers and crewmembers to fall. Five passengers and two crewmembers, one being the ship’s captain, reported injuries. Three were…
Read MoreTowboat Hits Submerged Object, Sinks in Mississippi River
A towboat sunk in the Mississippi River in Iowa on November 25 after hitting an unknown submerged object. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, no serious injuries were reported from the incident, but the boat was carrying 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel and oil that is now leaking into the river. Nine crewmembers escaped from…
Read MoreNationwide Maritime Trial Lawyer: Barge Accident Kills One on Sacramento River
A worker was killed when a tractor he was operating on fell off a barge and into the Sacramento River on November 25. The man was operating an excavator when the tractor he was riding on slipped into the water and drowned the worker. According to the Solano County Sheriff’s office, it was initially reported…
Read MorePassengers Told to “Brace for Impact” in Staten Island Ferry Accident
Ferry operators told passengers to “brace for impact” when a Staten Island ferry collided into a Whitehall terminal dock in lower Manhattan on November 14. According to transportation department authorities, a “power disruption” may have caused the crash. Passengers on board said that the ferry collided with the dock hard and that operators “told everybody…
Read MoreOne Dead After Boat Capsizes off Alki Point in Washington
A man was killed when the wheelhouse of a boat he was working on capsized on November 15 off Alki Point in Washington State. Three crewmates of the man suffered hypothermia in the accident but survived the capsizing. According to the Coast Guard and Seattle Fire Department, the men were working for Ballard Marine Construction…
Read MoreHyak Ferry Crash Caused by Captain and Trainee Error, According to Investigators
The September Hyak ferry accident that sunk a 27-foot sailboat on the Salish Sea outside Washington State was caused by human error and inattentiveness of the ferry captain and second mate who was in training at the time of the accident. According to an investigation done by Washington State Ferries, the collision between the 382-foot…
Read MoreBoat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Crash Admitted to Drinking, Officials Say
Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Crash Admitted to Drinking, Officials Say [ubermenu-map address=”Tappan Zee Bridge, New York” zoom=”14″ width=”375px” height=”375px”] A prosecutor said in court on November 20 that the man accused of causing a boat accident on the Hudson River in July, killing a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man, admitted to “drinking…
Read MoreOur Maritime Attorneys Help Victims of Drunken Boating Accidents
The case against a man charged with killing two boys in a June 2012 boating accident has been delegated to a jury. Paul Bennett, the boat operator at the time of the accident, is facing charges of homicide by vessel, failure to render aid, reckless operation and boating under the influence. On July 18, 2012,…
Read MoreMaritime Trial Lawyer: Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Accident Charged in 18-Count Indictment
The operator of a boat involved in a Hudson River accident that killed a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man in July was charged in an 18-count indictment on November 7. The driver, 35-year-old JoJo John, is facing counts of first-degree vehicular manslaughter (2), second-degree vehicular manslaughter (4), second-degree manslaughter (2), criminally negligent homicide (2),…
Read MoreSeaman Sues Shipping Company after Barge Accident
A New Orleans seaman is suing his employer after being injured in a barge accident. According to the lawsuit, the vessel worker was on board the M/V Jean Laffitte when a collision occurred between the vessel and a barge, allegedly as a result of the ship captain’s negligence. The plaintiff suffered severe injuries to his…
Read MoreNationwide Maritime Trial Lawyer: One Dead after Missouri River Barge Accident
A man succumbed to injuries sustained in a barge accident on the Missouri River on October 24. The man had been riding in a johnboat a day earlier when his vessel was struck by a barge being pushed by a towboat. After the collision, crewmembers of another nearby towboat rushed to rescue the man who…
Read MoreUniversity Student Pleads Guilty to Drunken Boating
A Colorado State University student has pleaded guilty to drunken boating after severely injuring a man at Horsetooth Reservoir last summer. The 22-year-old student took a plea agreement on October 8, had a vehicular assault charge dismissed and will be receiving probation. The student ran over another man on June 30 when he reversed the…
Read MoreRough Waters: Life Rafts Saving Lives
Life rafts, and also life boats, are small, rigid or inflatable boats that are stored on ships for emergency evacuations. Commercial ships are required by law to store life rafts, while recreational sailors will often carry inflatable rafts, though some may have small lifeboats. For most commercial ships, life rafts are fitted with a quick-release…
Read MoreFerry Captain on Leave After Sinking Sailboat
The captain and second mate of the Hyak ferry that sank a sailboat on the Salish Sea on September 13 are officially on leave as the investigation continues. Jack Gray was riding in his sailboat when the 382-foot Hyak ferry crashed into and sank his boat. Both Gray and his dog were stuck at sea…
Read More6-Year-Old Drowns in Carnival Cruise Ship Swimming Pool
6-Year-Old Drowns in Carnival Cruise Ship Swimming Pool A six-year-old boy drowned in a pool aboard a Carnival cruise ship, according to a statement released by Carnival Cruise Lines on October 14. The young boy drowned on October 13 in a midship pool aboard the Carnival Victory. His family and friends were near the pool…
Read MoreSurvival Suits: What They’re For and How They Work
Survival suits, also known as immersion suits, are a special type of waterproof suit that protect fishermen and others at sea from hypothermia when immersed in cold water. Typically, someone at sea would wear these suits when abandoning a sinking or capsized vessel. The suits have built-in boots, a hood and gloves. Survival suits come…
Read MoreHyak Ferry Sinks 27-Foot Sailboat on Salish Sea
A Hyak ferry collided with and sank a 27-foot sailboat on the Salish Sea outside of Washington state on September 13. According to authorities, heavy fog created limited visibility that may have caused the collision. A man in his mid-60s was on the sailboat at the time of the collision and was rescued by another…
Read More56-Year-Old Crabber Killed in Collision with Tug and Barge
56-Year-Old Crabber Killed in Collision with Tug and Barge A man died this summer when his crab boat collided with a tug and barge in Port Arthur, Texas. 56-year-old John Tran was the only victim of the accident when he collided with the tugboat Father Seelos. The tugboat was in a high-traffic section of the…
Read MoreDeck Hand Dead After Towboat Sinks in Mississippi River
A 22-year-old deck hand drowned when new towboat Megan McB sank in the Upper Mississippi River after it allegedly lost power and floated over a dam. Two crewmembers escaped from the top level of the boat after it floated over the roller gate of a damn and came to rest on its side. The third…
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