Vessel Sinkings

Published on: August 17, 2022

F/V Aleutian Isle Sinks, Causing Pollution Incident

On Saturday, August 13^th watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified that a fishing vessel located off the west coast of San Juan Island was taking on water and in need of emergency assistance. An Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, a Station Bellingham 45-foot Response Boat-Medium, and the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Swordfish were launched in response to the plea for help.

By the time the U.S. Coast Guard arrived on the scene, the 49-foot F/V ALEUTIAN ISLE had capsized and sank. According to eyewitnesses, the boat went down quickly in just a matter of minutes. In a statement issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, the five crewmembers aboard the fishing vessel were rescued by a good Samaritan.

After it was determined that all five crewmembers were accounted for, attention turned to the pollution impact and a survey was initiated. By 5 p.m. just a few hours after the sinking, a 1.75 mile fuel sheen was observed. It is estimated that the vessel was carrying about 2,600 gallons of diesel and oil at the time of the incident.

Published on: November 15, 2021

F/V Julia Breeze Sinks, 4 Mariners Rescued

by Joseph Stacey

Four mariners were rescued from a raft on November 10, 2021, after they abandoned ship about 13 nautical miles west of Cape Ommaney, near the southern tip of Baranof Island, Alaska.

Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau received a distress call at about 10:40 via VHF radio channel 16. Crewmembers reported that the V/F JULIA BREEZE was taking on water and that they were abandoning ship.

An Air Station Sitka helicopter crew was launched at 10:45 and arrived on the scene at about 11:40. The aircrew located a debris trail from the 53-foot fishing vessel as well as the survival raft. All four of the V/F JULIA BREEZE crew members were able to don survival suits and made it into the survival raft.

Published on: September 21, 2021

F/V Royal Sinks off Oregon Coast

by Joseph Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a woman, two men, and their dog after the F/V ROYAL sank on Sunday, September 12, 2021, approximately forty-five miles off the coast of Lincoln City, Oregon.

Sector North Bend watchstanders received a distress signal via the vessel’s Electronic Position Indicting Radio Beacon (EPIRB) at 2 p.m. An urgent marine information broadcast was issued, and an Air Facility Newport rescue crew and MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was dispatched.

A debris field was located about six miles from the last EPIRB transmission location at 4 p.m. Thankfully, registration on the device was up to date on the 44-foot gray and blue commercial F/V ROYAL, and the crew was found adrift in a life raft.

Published on: May 8, 2021

Three Rescued from Burning Vessel Near Port Angeles, WA

by Joseph Stacey

At approximately 6 p.m. on May 5th, watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a distress call reporting that a 48-foot vessel was on fire just off the shore of Port Angeles, WA. The three men aboard the vessel were unable to extinguish the flames.

An Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 rescue helicopter crew as well as a Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew responded and were at the scene within 15 minutes. The three men were rescued from the burning yacht, and the U.S. Coast Guard boat crew boarded the burning vessel and attempted to extinguish the fire with the use of a fire extinguisher and a water pump. The vessel was then placed in tow to rendezvous with local firefighters. As they were traveling, the fire re-flashed, forcing the boat crew to break the tow. Emergency personnel remained on the scene to monitor and secure the area. The yacht sank shortly after the rescue; however, no fuel sheen was observed.

“The fast action to call for help was essential to their survival,” said Petty Officer Alexander Polyak, watchstander at Sector Puget Sound command center. “Having a reliable means of communication, appropriate for your location and distance offshore, can mean the difference between life and death. We encourage all mariners to not only have cell phones, but make sure you have a VHF-FM marine-band radio to ensure communication capability in the event of an emergency.”

Published on: November 24, 2020

Four Fishermen Missing after F/V Emmy Rose Sinking

by Nigel Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for the four fishermen who are missing after the F/V EMMY ROSE sank on Monday morning. The vessel was located approximately 20 miles off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts at the time of the incident.

Watchstanders at the First District Coast Guard Command Center in Boston received an alert from the vessel’s EPIRB after it made contact with the water. It was reported that no distress or mayday calls were made by the crew and that calls to cell phones and a satellite phone located aboard the vessel went unanswered.

The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a Cape Cod MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew as well as the Coast Guard Cutter VIGOROUS to search for the F/V EMMY ROSE. When responders arrived at the vessel’s last known position, they discovered debris as well as an empty, yet inflated and deployed life raft.

Published on: June 16, 2020

Scandies Rose Case Developments

by Joseph Stacey

STACEY & JACOBSEN, PLLC represents the two survivors in the SCANDIES ROSE sinking. The vessel owner (Scandies Rose Fishing Co., LLC) and the vessel manager (Mattsen Management LLC) have filed a Petition for Limitation of Liability in Federal Court Seattle. The vessel owner and manager initiated legal action arguing that they have no responsibility for the deaths of the crew and injuries to the survivors. As we understand the position of the owner and manager, they claim that they had no knowledge of the bad weather that was forecast for New Year’s Eve. The vessel owner and manager are taking this position even though a majority of the Kodiak fleet stayed at the dock that day due to bad weather. SCANDIES ROSE and Mattsen Management, however, claim that SCANDIES ROSE is a larger boat and did not need to heed the weather that was forecast for that day. Obviously, they were mistaken.

This Federal Court proceeding compelled the families and survivors to Answer the Petition and bring their own claims. Four of the five families of the decedents and the two survivors filed their legal pleadings, as required, before May 28, 2020. The captain was one of the owners of the vessel and his family did not file a claim. The parties will meet soon to work out a discovery plan and propose court dates. It is estimated that a trial date will be set sometime in mid-2021. Recently, the survivors filed Sworn Affidavits in a probate court in order to help the families obtain death certificates. The Affidavits contain chilling details of events that occurred in the final moments.

The survivors report that they were awakened when SCANDIES ROSE took a serious list to starboard. The entire crew ran up to the wheelhouse. Captain Cobban confirmed that the vessel had a serious list and that the vessel was sinking. He ordered everyone to get their survival suits on as the vessel continued the roll to starboard. At some point, before the survivors got out, the vessel was nearly on her starboard side. The crew struggled to put on their survival suits because the vessel was listing at such a sharp angle. Water began flowing into the starboard side (which basically had become the floor). The survivors report that they were able to climb up and out of the wheelhouse through the port side door. They were able to stand on the port side hull and called back for the other crew to get out. At that time, all the lights went out, and almost immediately, a wave knocked the survivors off the hull and into the sea. The two survivors were able to locate a life raft and climb aboard. They floated approximately five hours before being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. They never saw their fellow crewmembers again after they got washed off the hull.

Published on: January 2, 2020

F/V Scandies Rose Sinking Investigation: What to Expect

by Joseph Stacey

We are deeply saddened by the recent news of the sinking of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE in Alaskan waters. We have been practicing maritime law for over 35 years and have handled dozens of sinking cases. Yet, the news of such a disaster is always shocking, tragic, and heartbreaking. The sinking of DESTINATION and MARY B II has barely faded from the front page when we now must face this catastrophic news.

We represented families of lost souls on these two fishing vessels. Below is an outline of what the families can expect from the insurance company involved in the SCANDIES ROSE case.

1. The insurance company will first appoint an insurance adjuster and hire their lawyers. The lawyers will stay behind the scenes at first and send the adjuster to meet with the families. The adjuster will try to “assure” the families that the insurance company will take care of the families. Of course, the insurance company and the adjuster are not friends of the families and will be pursuing the interests of the insurance company (that is, to minimize the amounts paid). The adjuster will probably “offer” to pay for a memorial service and fly family members to the service.

Published on: November 26, 2019

Three Fishermen Lost at Sea in Massachusetts

by Joseph Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report that the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for three missing fishermen near Massachusetts.

An Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert from F/V LEONARDO was received by the U.S. Coast Guard District One command center on Sunday at 3:18 P.M. Personnel from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to investigate.

The F/V LEONARDO was carrying four crew members when it capsized and sank approximately 24 nautical miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard. Coast Guard crewmembers were able to rescue one of the four fishermen, Ernesto Santos, from a lifeboat.

Published on: October 29, 2019

Modified Vessels Require New Stability Reports

by Joseph Stacey

Vessel stability refers to the ability of a vessel to return to its upright position after being heeled over by wind, waves, or other forces. If a vessel is not stable, it is susceptible to capsizing. Each vessel is unique and therefore needs its own stability report prepared by a qualified naval architect.

Vessel stability was in the news again after the National Transportation Safety Board released its findings regarding the sinking of F/V PACIFIC KNIGHT, the vessel that capsized in Bristol Bay on July 25th, 2018. There were several contributing factors, but they all led back to stability. An overloaded vessel and an inadequate assessment of the vessel’s stability was cited as the cause of this devastating accident that took the life of a 59-year-old fisherman.

Vessel stability is complex and must be calculated by a professional. It is recommended that new stability reports be completed every 10 years or after any and all changes to equipment or modifications are made to a vessel. Stability is not a constant condition; it undergoes continuous changes during each voyage and through the life of a vessel.

Published on: September 24, 2019

7 Rescued in Fishing Vessel Fire

by Joseph Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued six fishermen and one NOAA fisheries observer on Tuesday, September 17th after the F/V MISS EMMA caught fire approximately 8 miles south of Ko’Olina, Hawaii.

A VHF mayday call was received at about 4:29 p.m. from the vessel crew, who were aggressively fighting the fire. Sector Honolulu sent out an alert to other vessels in the area and directed the launch of a response boat, the cutter JOSEPH GERCZAK, an HC-130 Hercules SAR airplane, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

The seven people aboard the F/V Miss Emma were forced to abandon ship via a liferaft. The U.S. Coast Guard was able to rescue everyone within half an hour of receiving the mayday call. The crewmembers and the NOAA fisheries observer were taken to Pier 38 in Honolulu where they were met by first responders, medical personnel, and officials from Customs and Border Protection. No injuries were reported.