Maritime Accident’
Was BP Report Truly Independent?
Friday, September 10th, 2010
BP has insisted that its investigation into the Deepwater Horizon explosion was independent, and was carried out without any interference from the company’s top management. However, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that company lawyers were allowed to go through the report before it was released. BP doesn't deny that the report was given a once over by its lawyers. According to the company, its attorneys provided legal advice, although BP isn't going into the specifics of the advice. It is also not confirming whether the attorneys suggested or made any changes to the report before it...
California Law Still Doesn’t Require Prescription Drug Testing for Pilots
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Apart from environmentalists and maritime lawyers, no one remembers much about the 2007 maritime accident involving the Cosco Busan in the San Francisco Bay.
More than 53,000 gallons of oil spilled into the ocean, when the container ship collided with a Bay Bridge Tower, in November that year. The investigation finally pointed to the impaired condition of the pilot in charge of the ship at the time. John Cota was on a cocktail of prescription drugs, including Vicodin and Valium. In the days before the accident, investigators found he had purchased hundreds of pills, including painkillers acetaminophen hydrocodone...
Will Filing a Maritime Claim Get Me Blackballed or Blacklisted?
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
This is one of the most frequent questions I come across every day. Many maritime workers who are considering filing a lawsuit against their employer, or want to report a violation are concerned that their employer may retaliate against them by blackballing them in the industry.
These concerns are valid. Employers can often retaliate against workers who dare to seek legal counsel when they suffer an injury. Blackballing tactics can include badmouthing you in the industry, to ensure that you never get a job again. These are the most frequent tactics that maritime employers use, to intimidate workers.
So, do these...
Lawsuit Filed in Philadelphia Duck Boat Accident
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Families of the two victims of a duck boat accident in the Delaware River in Philadelphia last month have filed a maritime injury lawsuit that names the boat operator, Ride the Ducks and the tugboat operator, K-Sea Transportation Partners.
The horrific accident last month had a barge being towed by a tug colliding with a tourist duck boat. Among the passengers were a group of Hungarian exchange students. The impact caused the boat to sink, and all the passengers were thrown into the water. Two of the Hungarian students died in the accident. One of them, 20-year-old Szabolcs...
Crewmember Suffers Fatal Crushing Injuries in Conveyor Belt Accident on Ore Boat
Thursday, August 12th, 2010
A crewmember on an ore boat on Lake Superior sustained fatal crushing injuries in a conveyor belt accident this week.
The accident occurred on the 1,000 foot ore boat Stewart J. Cort. According to news reports, the 61-year-old crewmember and two other workers were making some repairs in the ship, when he apparently became caught in the conveyor belt. He was crushed between a belt and a roller, and sustained fatal injuries. Other crew members tried to revive him, but were unsuccessful. He died on the vessel.
My heart goes out to the family of...
No Answers yet in Mississippi Barge-Boat Accident
Thursday, August 12th, 2010
Investigators in Biloxi, Mississippi are continuing their probe into a fatal maritime accident involving a barge and a recreational boat last month.
The accident occurred on in the Industrial Seaway Canal on 29 July. According to Gulfport police, the victim and his wife were traveling in a boat on the Industrial Seaway Canal when the boat struck a barge. The victim fell into the water, while his wife survived. The Gulfport Fire Department was able to send a dive team to the accident site. The victim's body was recovered a few hours later. The wife only...
Mystery Continues to Surround Damage to Oil Tanker in Hormuz Strait
Friday, August 6th, 2010
There are still no plausible explanations for the damage caused to a supertanker, the M. Star as it traveled through the Strait of Hormuz last week. Just some of the possible exhalations include a maritime collision, an explosion, and a rogue wave. To add to all the confusion, a group that claims to be affiliated to Al Qaeda, has also claimed responsibility for the accident.
The Japanese oil tanker was damaged as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, and authorities in the United Arab Emirates, where the tanker has since docked, have no solid theories to offer. ...
Coast Guard Investigating Fatal Barge-Fishing Boat Accident in Tennessee
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
The US Coast Guard is continuing its investigations into a fatal maritime accident involving nine barges and a fishing boat on the Tennessee River. The accident occurred over the weekend. The fishermen were on a boat when the vessel was struck by nine barges that were being towed by a tugboat.
According to the sole surviving fisherman, the vessel had an engine problem, and was stuck in the path of the barges. They tried all they could to alert the boat crews to their predicament, but were unable to. The barges struck the fishing boat, capsizing the vessel...
Maritime Authorities Blame Grounding of Chinese Ship on Crew Fatigue
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
A Chinese coal ship was grounded on the Great Barrier Reef last week, sparking concerns about damage to the sensitive marine environment there. Maritime authorities in Australia are already blaming crew member fatigue for the accident. According to a preliminary report by the Australian Transportation Safety Board, the first mate on the ship, the Shen Neng 1 had barely slept for about a day and a half before the maritime accident.
The Transport Minister of Queensland has blamed the shipping company here for the accident, and has said shipping companies must tackle the problem of crew member fatigue.
Meanwhile, divers are...
Coast Guard Calls off Search for Two Crew Members Who Fell off Container Ship of Alaska
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Coast Guard helicopters and crews are calling off their search for two crew members who reportedly fell off a container ship off the coast of Alaska.
The two men were working on the Liberian-flagged Hanjin Pretoria. The vessel was on its way from Long Beach to Asia. The crewmembers were working on the deck when they both fell overboard. The vessel’s master informed the Coast Guard immediately, setting off search and rescue operations. The fall occurred about 850 miles south of Kodiak Island.
There's no information on the nationalities of the two crewmembers here. One is believed to have...
