On March 9, 2017, in a landmark case handled by Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled unanimously that punitive damages may be awarded to injured fishermen and seamen when the case involves a general maritime unseaworthiness claim. Where an employer recklessly provides a vessel or equipment…
On Wednesday March 1st, a floating crane broke loose from tethers and drifted from the Highway 520 project toward waterfront homes on Lake Washington. According to a Laurelhurst homeowner, the crane was floating north of the job site toward residential docks at about 4 a.m. Emily Durante, a project spokeswoman…
The US Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology responded to a fuel spill in Seattle on the West Waterway of the Duwamish River after a tug and barge collided. The incident occurred at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, Ecology and the National Response Center were…
The Coast Guard, working in partnership with several other agencies, continues to respond to the tugboat SAMSON MARINER that ran aground near Rosa Reef in north Tongass Narrows, Alaska. Approximately 1,100 gallons of fuel was spilled before the breach could be patched by Alaska Commercial Divers. The official report by…
It is with great sadness that we report the suspension of the search for the six missing crew members of the F/V DESTINATION. The vessel is believed to have sunk on Saturday, February 11th in the Bering Sea. Weather at the time was reported as 30-mph winds with five to…
The search in the Bering Sea continues for the 98’ F/V DESTINATION and six crewmembers, whose emergency beacon broadcast a signal at 7:15 am, February 11 from two miles northwest of St. George, Alaska. The Coast Guard’s Hercules airplane crew arrived at 10:15 am to begin searching, and two helicopters…
The US Coast Guard rescued three commercial fishermen on Sunday morning after their fishing vessel COASTAL REIGN began taking on water. The crew reported that their vessel struck a submerged object as they navigated the mouth of the Columbia River. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia received the captain’s mayday…
The third and final EL FARO hearing has been scheduled for February 6, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation will focus on crew witnesses, TOTE company officials, Coast Guard officials as well as the contents of EL FARO’S voyage data recorder (VDR). The transcript of…
Allan Tabingo was injured at sea due to defective machinery on his employer’s fishing vessel. A hydraulic lever controlling a fish hatch had been defective for two years. When the hatch operator tried to activate the hydraulic lever to stop the hatch from closing, the handle on the lever popped…
The Fishing Company of Alaska (Renton, Washington) has sold its three remaining factory trawlers and catch quotas to Ocean Peace and O’Hara Corporation. Mike Faris, CEO of Seattle-based Ocean Peace, confirmed that his company will purchase two of the trawlers and catch quotas. O’Hara Corporation Vice President Frank O’Hara Jr.…