U.S. Coast Guard members, along with the crew of the good Samaritan vessel KYLIA, successfully rescued four individuals from a fishing boat that capsized about 2 miles northeast of Chiniak Island, Alaska. Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage were alerted at around 4:31 p.m. on Sunday, January 21st, 2024,…
Maritime Injury Law Blog
No Processing for Peter Pan Seafood at King Cove Plant
Peter Pan Seafood has been processing Alaskan seafood including salmon, halibut, crab, and caviar since 1912. With processing plants in Dillingham, Port Moller, King Cove, and Valdez, they employ approximately 1,310 people during peak season. The fishing industry in Southwest Alaska is facing a significant blow as Peter Pan Seafood…
Air Circulation Implemented on Genius Star XI after Cargo Fire
On January 5th, 2024, the Salvage Marine Firefighting team executed an air circulation procedure endorsed by the Unified Command after the Genius Star XI, a 410-foot general cargo ship reported a fire on December 30th, 2023. The primary aim of this initiative was to enhance the airflow within the cargo…
Ocean Beauty Seafoods reveals plan to sell distribution business
In an official statement, Ocean Beauty Seafoods revealed that distribution operations, with facilities located in Astoria and Portland, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Dallas, Texas; Helena, Montana; Renton, Washington; and Salt Lake City, Utah, are currently for sale. The company further stated that the sale aligns with the “long-term business strategy” of…
Legislators Introduce Bill Ensuring Protection and Welfare of Commercial Fishermen
Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Dan Sullivan (R-AL), and Edward Markey (D-MA) have spearheaded a bipartisan initiative by introducing the FISH Wellness Act, aimed at enhancing safety, health, and well-being in the fishing industry. This proposed legislation aims to expand upon the successes of the Commercial Fishing Occupational Safety Research &…
Vessel Citations Issued by U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard is issuing a reminder to commercial fishermen to make certain that they have appropriate lifesaving gear on their vessels prior to leaving the dock. Several U.S. Coast Guard teams carried out inspections on commercial fishing vessels navigating the Chesapeake Bay area and its tributaries between December…
Derelict Vessel El Capitan Sinks off Orcas Island
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the Islands’ Oil Spill Association (IOSA) were deployed on Saturday, November 18th, 2023, to address the sinking of the 80-foot vessel EL CAPITAN at West Sound Marina on Orcas Island. Watchstanders at Sector Puget Sound command center were…
Coast Guard Helicopter Crashes in Alaska
Four Coast Guard personnel sustained injuries following the crash of their MH-60 Jayhawk during a search and rescue mission in Alaska. The Air Station Sitka based helicopter crashed on Read Island, just south of Juneau. At approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, November 13th the F/V LYDIA MARIE began taking on…
Conception Vessel Captain Found Guilty of Negligence in Fire that Killed 34
On the afternoon of November 6th, 2023, a federal court jury in Los Angeles found Jerry Nehl Boylan, the captain of the M/V CONCEPTION, guilty of gross negligence in the tragic maritime incident that claimed the lives of 34 individuals. The M/V CONCEPTION, a 75-foot vessel, caught fire on Monday,…
Mariner Lost at Sea Nearly 2 Weeks Found Alive
One of the two fishermen who disappeared nearly two weeks ago along the Washington coast has been found alive, floating in a life raft just west of Vancouver Island. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian family members spotted then rescued the man approximately 70 miles northwest of Cape Flattery…