Coast Guard personnel responded to calls that a barge had grounded and partially submerged in nine feet of water while traveling across the Beaufort Sea. The barge was reportedly carrying more than 1,200 gallons of fuel. Initially, there were reports of sheen from the vessel, but the crew secured all…
The Bureau of Labor Statistics issued a new report last month calculating and ranking the most dangerous jobs in the United States; the top three are fishermen, loggers, and aircraft pilots. In 2009, “fishers and related fishing workers” died as a result of injuries at their workplace at a rate…
As a result of the recent discussions in Congress concerning the repeal of the Jones Act, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Navy League officially announced their strong opposition to its repeal. Their stance was promptly lauded by the Maritime Cabotage Task Force (MCTF), a national coalition that represents U.S.…
On Thursday morning, Sept. 2, an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico caught fire, forcing its 13 crew members overboard into the sea. The workers who had been aboard were spotted from a helicopter, huddled together and floating in protective suits a mile from the platform. An offshore supply…
The 74-year old captain has been rescued from his fishing vessel near Sitka, Alaska. The captain of the 44-foot trawler ZIMOVIA was rescued from the vessel as it was being knocked about on the rocks by the surf. The Coast Guard was aided in the rescue by the Sitka Mountain…
A fire broke out on a fishing trawler moored near Seattle Gas Works park Friday night. The 125-foot fishing vessel, ROYAL ENTERPRISE, reportedly caught fire around 7:45 p.m. No one was aboard the vessel at the time of the fire, and the cause of fire is under investigation. The Seattle…
The ARCTIC DAWN caught fire while moored in Ballard early Monday morning. The 100 foot Alaska crab boat had been previously featured on the Deadliest Catch television series. One crewman was aboard the vessel at the time and was able to escape the fire without injury. Nearly one hundred firemen…
A claim for punitive damages made by a commercial diver based upon the legal theory of unseaworthiness has withstood legal challenge in the United States District Court for Hawaii. The Court found as a matter of law that punitive damages may be sought in cases involving unseaworthiness. The Court based…
Superior Court Judge Richard Eddie has held that a seaman’s wrongful death claim involving claims for punitive damages for unseaworthiness and Jones Act negligence will proceed to trial on the merits. The vessel owner and employer’s motion to dismiss the seaman’s claim for punitive damages was rejected. Following the Supreme…
A crewman suffered a head injury on Tuesday and was airlifted from a fishing vessel 50 miles off the Oregon Coast. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. Two Coast Guard helicopters responded to the emergency. The crewman was taken to North Bend for treatment. Commercial fishermen…