Maritime Injury Law Blog

Published on: December 5, 2014

Five Crew Members Rescued from F/V TITAN After Grounding on Columbia River Jetty near Ilwaco, WA

At 2:16 am on Friday, December 5, 2014, crew from the F/V TITAN called The Coast Guard Sector Columbia River to report they had grounded off the A-jetty on the north side of the Columbia River near Ilwaco, WA. The 78-foot vessel’s engine room was flooding and dewatering efforts had failed.

The Coast Guard responded by sending a 47-foot Motor Life Boat (MLB) crew from Cape Disappointment and a Jayhawk helicopter crew from Astoria, Oregon. They transferred a dewatering pump to the TITAN crew, but the flooding could not be stopped. The five TITAN crew members then donned their survival suits, lowered the anchor to help secure the vessel, and stepped onto the MLB. No injuries were reported.

“The professionalism of the fishing vessel crew was a huge factor in this case,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Elizabeth Wakefield, operations specialist and Sector Columbia River search and rescue coordinator. “Their ability to stay calm and focused in a stressful situation enabled our personnel to rescue them safely.”

Published on: December 3, 2014

How to Help Yourself Survive in Cold Water: The 1 – 10 – 1 Principle

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

Sadly, stories are rolling in of boats foundering and sinking with crewmembers thrown into frigid winter waters. The Coast Guard and Good Samaritan vessels courageously assist as many survivors as possible, but the 1-10-1 Principle can help you survive until a boat or helicopter arrives. All of the following time averages are dependent upon the temperature of the water and condition of the victim.

1 – 10 – 1 represent crucial time periods after you hit the water.

1: During the first minute, Cold Shock will set in, including gasping and hyperventilation. You must get your breathing under control and gain an awareness of your situation. Panic will dramatically decrease your chance of survival.

Published on: December 2, 2014

COAST GUARD JOINS SEARCH FOR 54 MISSING CREWMEMBERS FROM CAPSIZED SOUTH KOREAN TRAWLER 501 ORYONG IN BERING SEA

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

The Coast Guard Alaska Sector and five Good Samaritan vessels are assisting the Russian Kamchatka Border Guard Directorate (KBGD) in finding 54 crew members missing from the capsized South Korean trawler 501 ORYONG. According to the KBGD, the crew was hauling in its catch of pollock when a wave hit and flooded the boat’s cargo holds. The 326-foot vessel sank off the coast of Chukotka, Russia on November 30, 2014.

Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Honings said that officials from the KBGD requested U.S. assistance with the search on December 1. They reported that a Good Samaritan vessel had rescued seven people in a life raft, one person was confirmed dead, and 54 were missing. A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak Hercules airplane crew and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter MUNRO along with a Dolphin helicopter were sent to the scene Monday morning.

Weather on scene was reported as half-mile visibility with a 250-foot ceiling, 22-foot waves and water temperature at 57 degrees.

Published on: November 29, 2014

Fishing Vessel BLAZER Sinks off Siletz Bay, Oregon – Crew rescued by Coast Guard Helicopter and Motor Life Boat

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

The Coast Guard rescued five crew members from their life raft as the fishing vessel BLAZER sank eight miles west of Siletz Bay, Oregon the early morning of November 29, 2014. Coast Guard North Bend, Oregon received a MAYDAY call at 4:17 a.m. from the 75-foot fishing vessel BLAZER stating they were disabled, taking on water, and dumping crab pots. Ten minutes later crew called again to report they were donning survival suits and deploying the life raft.

Three of the survivors were rescued from the life raft by the Newport Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter crew and treated for minor injuries. The other two survivors were transferred from the life raft to a Coast Guard Depoe Bay 47-foot Motor Life Boat (MLB).

The BLAZER sank in 420 feet of water with reportedly 2,000 gallons of diesel aboard. There have been no reports of pollution at this time. North Bend pollution responders are monitoring the situation and will respond if needed.

Published on: November 26, 2014

Maine Fishing Vessel TWO MEGS Saved from Sinking by Coast Guard and Good Samaritan

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

At 5:00 am on November 23, 2014, crew on the fishing vessel TWO MEGS called the New England Coast Guard in distress: the engine room was flooding.

The boat was located 40 miles east of Isles of Shoals off the coast of Maine. By 6:40 am, a Coast Guard helicopter hovered over the boat and dropped down auxiliary pumps to dewater the engine room. A fisherman aboard RACHEL T acted as a Good Samaritan and assisted.

The Coast Guard cutter GRAND ISLE arrived and towed TWO MEGS to Boston.

Published on: November 24, 2014

NPFVOA Vessel Safety Program offering Seminar on Update on Ebola and the Maritime Industry, December 12, 2014

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

The North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association (NPFVOA) Vessel Safety Program is offering a seminar called Update on Ebola and the Maritime Industry on Friday, December 12, 9:00 am – 11:30 am. The seminar will benefit small boat owners responsible for crewing vessels and managing medical situations, purser/medics, safety professionals, operations personnel, human resource personnel, and risk managers.

Dr. Raymond Jarris, the presenter, is President and Chief Medical Officer for MD Solutions International. He is an experienced physician with over 30 years experience in emergency, occupational and family medicine settings. Dr. Jarris is currently Medical Director of the Swedish Medical Center/Ballard Emergency Department and BLS Medical Director for AMR Ambulance in King County.

Dr. Raymond Jarris and other speakers will present on the following topics:

Published on: November 23, 2014

Fishing Vessel ROYAL FORTUNE and Crew Towed to Safety off of Southwest Harbor, Maine

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

Crew from the fishing vessel ROYAL FORTUNE called the Northern New England Coast Guard on Saturday afternoon, November 22, 2014, to report their boat was disabled and adrift in 12′ to 15′ seas off of Southwest Harbor, Maine. According to Operations Specialist First Class Chris Kiener, the Coast Guard decided to launch a 47-foot motor lifeboat to tow the ROYAL FORTUNE and three crewmembers to shore because of the wind and high seas.

Published on: November 20, 2014

Injured Crewman Medevaced from Cargo Ship MYKONOS SEAS off Alaska

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

A Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter medevaced an injured crewman from the bulk carrier MYKONOS SEAS located approximately 75 miles southeast of Cold Bay, AK on November 16, 2014. According to the 17th District Coast Guard Command Center, they received a call from the carrier’s crew requesting medical help for the injured crewmember. The duty flight surgeon recommended a medevac, and the helicopter crew flew out of Cold Bay for the rescue mission. They flew 75 miles to the ship, hoisted the crewmember aboard the helicopter while grappling with 11 mph winds and 3′ seas, and flew back to Cold Bay where the crewman received medical care. He ultimately was flown to Anchorage for additional medical assistance.

75 miles southeast of the tip of Alaska is in the far reaches of the Bering Sea. We are fortunate that the Coast Guard is equipped with operating locations and equipment that can quickly respond to emergencies near and far. Beard Stacey & Jacobsen PLLC is one of the most experienced law firms in the country in handling crew member injuries aboard American ships in the Bering Sea. For more information, view our firm website and find Maritime Injury Claims.

Published on: November 19, 2014

Vessel POLAR BEAR Grounded near Kodiak, AK – Intoxicated Captain Arrested

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

A 25-year-old crew member on the vessel POLAR BEAR called 911 to report that the highly intoxicated captain had run the landing craft aground on Gull Island, a half-mile or so away from the Kodiak, AK harbor. The Kodiak police reported receiving the 911 call on November 16, 2014 and arrived at the scene of the grounding with assistance from the Kodiak Harbor Master’s Office. They found Edward Dyer, 50, aboard and highly intoxicated. Police escorted Dyer and Jeffrey Barrowcliff, the crewmember, back to land. Dyer was charged with driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, and fourth-degree assault.

Peter Schwarz, the president of POLAR BEAR operator Alaska Marine Transport and Salvage, said Dyer is no long employed by his company. “I had a skipper here who lost control over himself,” Schwarz said. “He looked always sober when I saw him, but he has this problem drinking.” According to KTUU News, Schwarz said Dyer was drunk and belligerent, scaring Barrowcliff to the point that he locked himself inside a compartment, called police, and waited 30 minutes for the police to arrive.

There were no visible signs of damage to the landing craft and no leakage of fuel at the time of reporting.

Published on: November 13, 2014

Disabled Ferry TACOMA’s Power Loss Caused by Power Surge from Ship Design Flaw

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

Why did the ferry TACOMA lose power during a routine run from Seattle to Bainbridge Island last summer?

“We have found the problem, and we have identified a fix for it,” said Lynne Griffith, Assistant Secretary for the state Ferries Division.

A power surge caused by a design flaw destroyed the power cables in the ferry’s circuit breaker control, causing the ship to lose power as it approached Bainbridge Island on July 29, 2014.