Was the Tugboat Accident Near the Tappan Zee Bridge Avoidable?

In previous blogs, we wrote about the tragedy near the Tappan Zee Bridge that claimed the lives of three workers. Three tugboats were pushing a barge across the Hudson River when one of the tugs hit a construction barge and sank with three crewmembers still trapped inside. It took months to recover all three bodies.…

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What Caused This Fatal Barge Accident?

Last month, a 5-year-old boy and his father were on a frogging trip on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway when a towing barge got too close to their boat. The boy and his father jumped overboard to avoid the barge accident. The father resurfaced, but the boy was later found dead underneath the barge. What are…

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Why is This Deckhand Suing a Marine Towing Company?

Recently, Latti & Anderson LLP resolved a case against a tug company and its owner where the crew member was on deck, helping feed out the line from the line box when the next thing the crew member heard was a loud pop and he was thrown numerous feet back on the stern on the tug.    The crew member sustained…

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Why is This Tugboat Worker Suing Tappan Zee Constructors?

The Tappan Zee bridge has been under construction and has caused several accidents this year. In a previous blog, we covered the tragic sinking of a tugboat that cost three crewmembers their lives when the tug smashed into a construction barge. Now, the bridge has claimed another victim. A tugboat worker was ordered onto one…

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Former Deckhand Gives Safety Tips on River Towboats

According to a former deckhand, working on a river towboat is unlike any other offshore experience he’s had. The deckhand insists when you work on a ship, you don’t work a job. Rather, you live your job. Towboat, also called a line boat, are boats that push barges down water ways or rivers. These are…

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Construction Worker Killed in St. Louis Tugboat Accident

According to KTVI-TV, a construction worker was killed on July 16 in St. Louis when a tugboat hit the Eads Bridge. The news outlet reported that the victim, age 24, was working on a sandblasting project on the bridge when the vessel struck it. He reportedly fell from his position on the bridge, to his…

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What Caused a Houston Ship Channel Collision?

According to Professional Mariner, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has completed its investigation into a Houston Ship Channel collision that resulted in a natural disaster. According to the report, on March 22, the 607-foot-long bulk carrier Summer Wind collided with the 670-foot-long Miss Susan tow, which was towing another vessel and two 300-foot-long tank…

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Captain Killed After Tug Sinks Near Long Island

Tragically, on March 14, the captain of a tugboat died following a sinking incident in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Long Island. According to Professional Mariner, the incident, which remains under investigation, also involved three crewmembers who managed to put on survival suits while abandoning the Sea Bear as it began to take…

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Crewmembers Rescued After Tugboat Capsizes

According to Professional Mariner, two men had to be rescued from a capsized tugboat in Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain last December. The news outlet reported that the U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans identified the 48-foot vessel in distress as the M/V Bella. The operator of the tugboat, K&L Marine Service LLC, told the news outlet…

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Why Do Tug and Barge Accidents Occur?

As many barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats, accidents involving them can be quite violent. Many barges carry heavy goods, meaning the weight involved in a crash lead to catastrophic damages for other vessels. One example of a barge accident that occurred recently involved a pair being towed by the…

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Should I Seek Legal Advice Following a Towboat Death?

Sadly, last week, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for a missing towboat deckhand who reportedly fell overboard from a vessel into the Mississippi River. According to Professional Mariner, the man went missing near Osceola, Arkansas, on April 7. He allegedly fell overboard from the Joe Ellis into the Mississippi River at the Mid…

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How Dangerous are Tugboat Accidents?

Earlier this month, we discussed how some people assume that tugboats are safer than other vessels due to their smaller size and build. However, poor working conditions aboard tugboats can still lead to serious accidents. Remember, a vessel’s unseaworthiness can lead to collisions, equipment malfunctions, electrical complications and fires, in addition to capsizing and sinking…

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Why Should I Have a Fatal Maritime Accident Investigated?

If your loved one is killed in a maritime accident, it may be in your best interest to speak to an attorney familiar with this particular practice of law. Keep in mind, in some instances, following a fatal accident, there will be questions surrounding liability. Often, various agencies are tasked with investigating an accident. It…

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What Are Some Common Tugboat Accident Injuries?

Did you know that a tugboat accident could lead to serious personal injuries? Many people are unaware of the complexities of the operation of a tug boat and often think their smaller size leads to a safer work environment.  However, poor working conditions on a tug can lead to claims of negligence and unseaworthiness. Many…

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Winter Weather Keeping Coast Guard Busy

Updating a blog post we brought you last week, the U.S. Coast Guard is using the brutal winter weather as a training opportunity for guardsmen in the north. According to WSTM-TV, over the past couple of weeks, guardsmen working out of the Oswego Coast Guard station in New York have been training in ice and…

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How Was a Barge Worker Pinned Under a Crane?

Some of the largest cranes in the world can weigh as much as 78 space shuttles and stand four times as tall as the Statue of Liberty, according to Engineering News-Record. While the crane involved in a recent accident is not nearly as large as the ones described above, it still managed to do quite…

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Is It Safe to Mass Produce Concrete on a Barge?

The Tappan Zee Bridge was built to provide a way for vehicles to travel across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester, New York. On average, about 138,000 vehicles a day cross the bridge, according to lohud.com. Due to the fact that the current Tappan Zee Bridge was not designed to handle the amount of…

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Could a Chain Hoist Cause a Barge Accident?

Could a Chain Hoist Cause a Barge Accident? Chain hoists, which consist of a pulley held together by a closed chain, are used to make lifting heavy objects and equipment easier. Unfortunately, a chain hoist is alleged to have played a role in the death of man while he was working on a barge, according…

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Could a Buoy Fall on Me While I’m Working on a Barge?

Could a Buoy Fall on Me While I’m Working on a Barge? Buoys are markers used to aid in maritime navigation, according to the United States Coast Guard. A 13th century manuscript, La Compasso de Navigare, contains the earliest recorded mention of a buoy, describing those used to help seamen as they arrived in Seville,…

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Could Our Barge Capsize While We’re Dredging?

Could Our Barge Capsize While We’re Dredging? Earlier this month, a dredging accident claimed the life of a barge crewmember in Wilmington, Delaware, according to WPVI-TV. The incident took place on a Tuesday around 7 p.m. on the Christina River near the Port of Wilmington. Three crewmembers, who all worked for the Norfolk Dredging Company,…

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Could I Be Hurt in a Tugboat Accident Because of a Mate’s Mistake?

Could I Be Hurt in a Tugboat Accident Because of a Mate’s Mistake? In parts of the sea that have been explored and mapped extensively, known hazards are often charted to prevent vessels from colliding with them. Unfortunately, despite the fact that a pier that sunk in the late 1990s was a “known and charted…

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How Can I Get the Help I Need After a Tugboat Accident?

As maritime trial lawyer David Anderson explains in the video above, in some cases, following a tugboat or barge accident, workers who were hurt in the incident can get the money they need for hospital bills and living expenses through maintenance and cure, which provides a daily amount of money to cover living costs, including:…

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Why Did the Coast Guard Stop a Google Barge Project?

According to centralmaine.com, after the Coast Guard repeatedly cited the project for fire-safety concerns, Google has ended its plan to build high-tech Google Barges in Portland and San Francisco. Google had already stopped working on the San Francisco barge in September of last year after the Coast Guard inspected the ship and cited it for…

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Could a Tugboat Severely Damage an Aircraft Carrier?

Could a Tugboat Severely Damage an Aircraft Carrier? The Pennsylvania Record reported earlier this month about a tugboat accident that involved an aircraft carrier. The incident took place in November of 2012 and caused damage to a decommissioned aircraft carrier, the USS John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The story is back in the news now because a…

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Is It Safe for Barges to Carry Drill Rigs?

A drilling rig, also known as a drill rig, is a piece of equipment used for oil and gas well drilling and service, according to the United States Department of Labor. Drill rigs tend to be massive in size, with the Department of Labor’s website listing over 60 that are contained within the devices. Transporting…

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Construction Barge Sinks Into the Chicago River

Construction Barge Sinks Into the Chicago River Recently, a construction barge the size of a football field and wide as a city street sank into the Chicago River, according to WBBM-TV. The barge, which was near the intersection of Wacker and Lake at the time of the incident, was filled with clay being used for…

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Barge Lighting Might Have Played a Part in Fatal Boat Wreck

Barge Lighting Might Have Played a Part in Fatal Boat Wreck There have been new developments in the investigation of a fatal boating accident that took the lives of two FBI agents, a story which we blogged about last month. According to WXIX-TV, an investigation into a collision between a pleasure boat and a barge…

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Fuel Leak Prevented After Refueling Barge Takes on Water

Fuel leaking into the water from a vessel could spell disaster for many reasons, including: Leaving the vessel stranded Putting the crew in danger of injury or death if the boat catches on fire or explodes Damaging the environment Recently, firefighters had to be called in to keep a refueling barge from sinking or leaking…

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Crewman Missing After Falling Off Barge

It is very important for the owner and operator of any vessel to make sure it is as safe as possible for anyone riding it. This is true whether the ship is used for work or play, and it is especially important at times when environmental issues, such as the weather or even nightfall, add…

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Is It Safe for Pleasure Boats and Towboats to Share the Water?

At 24 percent, two or more vessels colliding with each other ranked as the most common type of boating accident in Ohio in 2013, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A recent Ohio River boating wreck involving a pleasure boat and a towboat has unfortunately added to Ohio’s 2014 death toll in the…

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What Causes Ships to Sink?

From the Titanic to the Costa Concordia, when it comes to shipwrecks, there is only one thing that’s for sure: whenever anyone heads out on the water, the last thing they want to happen is to wind up a victim of such a disaster. And by and large, you would think as shipboard technology has…

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Could 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?…

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Tugboat Captain Killed by Falling Crane

Even experienced boat operators can fall victim to tragic accidents. But when those accidents could have been avoided by following safety guidelines, it is even more tragic. If tugboat owners and operators fail to follow adequate safety measures, they are putting their lives, as well as the lives of their crews, at serious risk. A…

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Towboat 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.…

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Tugboat Accident Was Avoidable in Ghost Cruise Ship Sinking

Earlier this year, England was terrified by rumors of a ghost ship—filled with cannibal rats—drifting towards their peaceful shores. Luckily, the rumors turned out to be just rumors. Here is what really happened: Last January, the tugboat Charlene Hunt was assigned to tow the decommissioned cruise ship Lyubov Orlova to the Dominican Republic, where the cruise ship was set…

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Three Bodies Recovered after Chicago Boating Accident

Search crews have found the body of a third man who fell into Chicago’s Cal-Sag channel after their vessel collided with a barge. The channel is primarily used by barge traffic and as a conduit for wastewater, but is also used by pleasure crafts in the summer time. Last month, a 19-foot pleasure craft collided…

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Towboat Sinks on Mississippi River

The Coast Guard received a report that a towing vessel sank on the Mississippi River near the Phillips 66 Facility. The boat went down about 20 miles north of St. Louis, at a town called Alton IL. When The Alton Fire Department arrived, the craft had already settled down in the stern. Luckily the crew…

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Fire Disables Tugboat off Rhode Island

Just last week, the 126-foot tugboat Viking was pushing a barge loaded with barrels of gasoline, when an engine fire erupted. The Coast Guard, along with crews from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, responded to distress calls from the disabled tug where it sat helplessly stuck 18 miles east of Rhode Island. The vessel’s onboard fixed…

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Does Weather Play a Part in Maritime Safety?

A tugboat captain whose barges collided with a cargo freighter in Texas said the larger vessel “increased its speed in foggy conditions,” making it impossible to avoid the crash. There were no injuries in the accident, but authorities thoroughly examined the evidence during a weeklong hearing, since nearly 170,000 gallons of oil spilled into the…

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Tug-Barge Crewman Killed During Conveyor-Belt Maintenance

According to Professional Mariner magazine, a member of an articulated tug-barge (ATB) crew was killed while conducting conveyor-belt maintenance. The accident happened south of Ludington on Lake Michigan as a tugboat was guiding a barge from Muskegon to Charlevoix. The 37-year-old crewman was performing mechanical maintenance on the barge when he became entangled in the…

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Is It Safe For Tugboats and Pleasure Boats to Share the Water?

Whenever vessels share the water, it can produce dangerous results if one or both do not take the proper precautions, including: Never operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol; Completing any required training to operate a boat; Properly maintaining the vessel; Taking a boating safety course; Posting a lookout to watch for danger coming from any direction;…

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Who Do I Call If I Was Hurt in a Towboat Accident?

You have been hurt on the job, maybe even nearly died or suffered an injury that you will struggle with for the rest of your life. On top of that, your injury is preventing you from going back to work, and your medical bills and living expenses are piling up. Meanwhile, your employer and their…

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After Falling From Skiff, Tugboat Crewman Goes Missing

After Falling From Skiff, Tugboat Crewman Goes Missing While being carried to his tugboat on a skiff, a crewmember fell overboard and went missing, according to Professional Mariner. The 28-year-old crewman fell shortly before midnight on October 6 as a skiff was taking him to a small boat launch near Anchorage, Alaska, where his tugboat…

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What Should I Do If My Son Fell From a Tugboat and Drowned?

Losing someone you love so suddenly, as is the case with drowning, is a shock. It takes a while to know what to do or how to cope. Unfortunately, sometimes employers and their insurance companies will use your vulnerability to their advantage, building a case against your loved one and figuring out a way to…

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Barge Breaks Free From New York Construction Site

Barge Breaks Free From New York Construction Site According to The Journal News, on March 30, a barge broke free from the Tappan Zee Bridge construction site for the third time since September. A statement released by Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) confirmed that the barge had come loose from its mooring and drifted for about…

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Texas City Barge Accident Leads to 160,000-Gallon Oil Spill

According to The Daily News, on March 22, a barge and ship were involved in a collision near the Texas City Dike, which resulted in a 160,000-gallon oil spill. The accident happened about 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of the Intracoastal Waterway, Houston Ship Channel and Texas Ship Channel. The collision involved a 585-foot bulk…

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Houston Ship Channel Barge Accident Nearly Ends in Disaster

According to the Houston Chronicle, an accident between a barge and container ship narrowly avoided turning into an environmental disaster. The Houston Business Journal reported that the barge-container ship accident happened on March 14 in the Houston Ship Channel. The crash occurred just north of the Texas City Y, which is the nickname of the…

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Razorbill Rescued from Oil Spill Caused by Tugboat Accident

According to the New York Daily News, an oil-soaked razorbill was able to be saved after a tugboat accident left an oil spill off the coast of Far Rockaway. The oil-soaked razorbill was found in late January by some park workers near Beach 30th Street. The bird was taken to Volunteers for Wildlife in Locust…

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