Maritime Injury Law Blog

Monday, November 26th, 2007: Lady Blackie, a 90 foot fishing vessel, began taking on water at about 4:45 am in Wide Bay in Shelikof Strait. An EPIRB signal alerted the Coast Guard, who was able to make contact with the boat and learned that the vessel was taking on water and the crew could not access the pumps.

The three men and one woman donned survival suits and boarded the life raft with their dog, Tusk, an additional EPIRB, strobe lights, and a parachute flare. They were located about 30 minutes later by the Coast Guard, in good condition, and were praised for doing all the right things to be found quickly and safely.

On October 21, 2007 off of Coney Island, New York a 24-foot fishing boat collided with a barge. Two men were killed and two were injured when the fishing boat overturned. Police divers pulled one of the survivors from under the boat and the other was rescued by a passing fishing vessel. A third man was pronounced dead at the scene while the fourth man died later. The Coast Guard is investigating.

Icicle Seafoods is being acquired by Fox Paine Management III LLC. On August 5 a news release stated the deal was expected to close within 90 days. Icicle believes that this acquisition will help them to fulfill their vision of growing operations in new markets, and building up their existing markets.

Icicle is a major processor of wild Alaska salmon, pollock, crab, halibut, cod, sablefish and herring. Icicle is based in Seattle, but employs 2,200 people in operations in Alaska, Washington State, Oregon, Japan and Chile. There is expected to be no changes in staffing of the company.

Source: Alaska Journal of Commerce

A fisherman had to be airlifted after being injured aboard the fishing vessel Muir Milach near Ilwaco, WA on June 29. A helicopter from Coast Guard Station Astoria and a lifeboat crew from Station Cape Disappointment were dispatched to assist the man, who was later transported to a hospital in Portland, Ore.

Commercial fishing is an occupation with a high risk of injury. If injured while at work aboard fishing vessel, be sure to find out about your rights to compensation under maritime law and the Jones Act. Contact the experienced maritime lawyers at Beard Stacey Trueb & Jacobsen for a free consultation and explore our website for FAQs and basic maritime law information.

The Spirit of Yorktown, a 257-foot cruise vessel, crashed into a much smaller fishing vessel, the Adirondack, on June 25 in Chatham Strait in southeast Alaska. This is the Spirit of Yorktown’s second mishap in two years, the first occurring when the boat ran aground in Washington State last year. The collision is under investigation by the Coast Guard.

No one was injured in the collision, but Adirondack’s steering was disabled and the fishing vessel had to be towed to port. The vessel also sustained damage to its right side and top house. The Spirit of Yorktown reported no damage.

The owner of Adirondack hoped to have his vessel – his livelihood – back on the water within a week of the collision.

April 26, 2007: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

Only 19 of 39 fishermen have been rescued after the capsizing of their vessel, 20 nautical miles north of Monti Cristi, Dominican Republic.

On Tuesday, April 24th, a Good Samaritan vessel rescued two fishermen from the water. The fishermen reported that their vessel, whith 39 passengers on board, had originated from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic the previous evening, headed for Silver Bank – about 60 nautical miles north, when it capsized.

April 23, 2007: KODIAK, Ak

A 39-year-old fisherman was evacuated from the Seattle-based fishing vessel “Cape Kawana” after a report that he was injured and needed medical attention.

The vessel was 60 miles south of Kodiak Island when the Coast Guard hoisted the injured man from the deck. He was transported to Kodiak.

April 25, 2007: JUNEAU, Alaska

The Coast Guard Auxiliary rescued 13 people from a life raft after the 38-foot charter vessel Halibut Endeavor capsized near Homer. The Homer Police Department received a call from one of the passengers, stating that the vessel was taking on water. The Coast Guard was then contacted, and they arrived at the scene to find all 13 passengers in a life raft. All passengers made it to the life raft before the vessel capsized. The Auxiliary transferred the crew and passengers to Roanoke Island.

The cause of the vessel taking on water is unknown at this time.

April 26, 2007: JUNEAU, Alaska
A Coast Guard helicopter from Sitka rescued three people from the trawling vessel “Sea Bear“, after it ran aground in the Klag Bay area. The three were transported to Sitka after being located on a nearby shore with their skiff.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard