Articles Posted in Injury at Sea

The clam dredge ESS PURSUIT has been ordered to return to port, and its catch isolated, after they discovered 10 mystery containers today while working in Hudson Canyon. One container broke open and exposed two crewmen to the contents. They subsequently developed blisters and difficulty breathing. The crewmen were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. The catch from the vessel has been isolated to determine if it was contaminated, and the vessel is being surveyed to see if it needs to be decontaminated. The Coast Guard and U.S. Public Health Services are investigating the incident.

The Coast Guard has airlifted an injured crewman from a Lake Charles Pilot boat approximately 10 miles south of Sabine Pass. The crewman had fallen overboard from the offshore supply vessel, Miss Mia, and had been rescued by the pilot boat. The injured crewman was airlifted by a Coast Guard MH-65 helicopter and transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, Texas for treatment. Facts related to the cause of the accident are unknown at this time, as is the condition of the rescued crewman.

Late Friday night three tribal fishermen died when their small fishing vessel capsized on the Columbia River near Wisham, Washington. One man survived the accident. The fishermen were part of the Yakima tribe and were participating in a commercial gill netting season for spring run Chinook salmon. The surviving fisherman was able to swim to shore. None of the crewmen were wearing personal flotation devices. The circumstances of how the accident happened are unclear. Winds were reported to be blowing 30 miles an hour at the time of the accident. Another tribal fishing boat reportedly sank on Thursday, but those fishermen luckily escaped injury.

A fisherman from the 88-foot fishing vessel KAYLA ROSE has been airlifted for medical treatment. The fisherman reportedly injured his arm and was slipping in and out of consciousness, and the crew of the vessel called the Coast Guard for emergency evacuation. The man was taken to Atlantic Regional Medical Center in New Jersey for treatment of his injuries. The circumstances of how the fisherman was injured are unknown at this time.

Saturday, a tank barge reportedly exploded at the LBC tank Terminals near Sunshine, Louisiana. Early investigation indicates the barge was loading benzene at the time of the accident. The Iberville Parish Fire department responded to the explosion and was able to bring the fire under control. Two workers were stated to have been injured in the explosion; the extent of injuries are unknown. The Coast Guard will be investigating the cause of the explosion. Water traffic remains open on the river.

The exact number of workers missing after an oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico remains uncertain. As many as 15 workers were missing after the oil rig exploded 52 miles off the Louisiana Coast. Hope remains that the missing crewmen may be in a life raft. A number of crewmen were critically injured and transported to Baton Rouge for treatment of burn injuries. The oil platform that remains leaning and burning is reportedly owned by Transocean and is being leased to BP.

Crewmen on many oil rigs and oil platforms are covered by Federal Maritime law. Investigation into this tragic accident will be extensive.

The Coast Guard has airlifted an injured fisherman from the fishing vessel Neves. The vessel was 115 miles east of Nantucket when it radioed needing medical help for an injured crewman. No details of the accident have been provided. The crewman was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital for emergency medical care.

A worker at Trident Seafoods’ fish processing plant in Akutan has been medically evacuated to Anchorage after suffering second and third degree burns to his face. The accident reportedly happened when a paint can exploded in an incinerator.

A fish processor cleaning machinery aboard the Alaska factory trawler Ocean Peace was seriously injured on Tuesday. Joemar Lontoc was airlifted from the vessel by a Coast Guard helicopter, and he has been transferred to Anchorage for emergency medical care. The accident happened 100 miles west of Adak Island.

Serious injury accidents involving fish processing equipment occur too frequently aboard Alaska Factory trawlers. Crewmen must be properly trained and supervised in safely operating such equipment. The Fishing Vessel Safety Act requires most fish processing equipment to be properly guarded to prevent hands and feet from getting into blades, augers, and shafts. Failure to properly guard fish processing equipment may render a vessel unseaworthy. Lock out tag out procedures should be followed by crewmen when the fish processing equipment is being cleaned and repaired. Crewmen injured as result of improperly guarded machinery, defective equipment, improper training, or negligence of a fellow crewman have claims under the Jones Act and the general maritime law.

A crewman working aboard a the fishing boat GOLDEN ALASKA has been airlifted from the vessel by the United States Coast Guard. The sixty year old crewman was complaining of severe abdominal pain and was taken to St. George Island with plans to transfer him to Anchorage for further evaluation and a treatment.

In cases of medical emergencies aboard ships at sea, the United States Coast Guard can be contacted for medical advice via ship to shore communications. There are also numerous private medical firms that are available to provide ship to shore medical advice for treatment of injured crewmen. While getting an injured or ill crewman to shore for treatment may cost time and money, delays in obtaining medical treatment may have severe consequences. In serious cases, a crewman may need to be airlifted from the vessel. Fishing vessels in Alaska operating long distances from the nearest medical facilities must be well prepared to handle medical emergencies and have plans for medical evacuation of crewmen needing medical treatment. Most vessels have sophisticated medical supplies aboard and large processors and catcher processors will have nurses or emergency medical technicians aboard to provide initial medical assessments of crewmen.