Injured Alaskan Crewman Defeats Owner’s Limited Liability Claim-In the Matter of the Complaint of Leo, LLC et al. v. Flora Under maritime law, vessel owners facing liability for an injured crewman can petition the court to limit their liability to the value of the vessel and pending freight. They make the request pursuant to the…
A boat exploded last night at the John Wayne Marina in Sequim, Washington, seriously injuring a man on board. The 40-foot boat blew up about 5:45 last night at the “C” dock in the marina. Fire District Three spokesman Patrick Young says the explosion was so large, boats within 75 yards were also damaged. One…
On Saturday, March 20, 2021, three men were rescued by a Coast Guard crew after their vessel sank five miles off the coast of La Push, Washington. The three men were found floating around debris without lifejackets late Saturday afternoon when Coast Guard officials rescued them. According to the Coast Guard, the large vessel was…
As of April 1, 2021, operators of recreational vessels less than 26 feet long will be required to use an engine cut-off switch (ECOS) and associated ECOS link (ECOSL), according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The ECOS and ECOSL devices prevent runaway vessels and the threats they pose. The ECOSL attaches the vessel operator to…
Commercial diver Anthony Gockerell was tragically killed on the job near Port Angeles, Washington on March 3, 2021. Gockerell was performing geoduck clam harvesting at the Dungeness West geoduck tract. He signaled that his surface-supplied umbilical cord, which provides air to the diver, was unable to clear. The crew believed that the diver had become…
Around 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, a 31-year-old crew-member aboard F/V AMERICAN TRIUMPH began experiencing a severe allergic reaction. The vessel contacted Health Force, which recommended medical evacuation by the United States Coast Guard. Coast Guard Command launched a helicopter from Forward Operating Location Cold Bay, Alaska. The rescue crew reached the vessel 101 miles northwest…
A 45-year-old man aboard factory trawler F/V ALASKA OCEAN suffered an arm crush injury on February 21, 2021, in Alaska. HealthForce Partners contacted the Coast Guard command center in Juneau at approximately 7:00 p.m. to request a medical evacuation. The trawler was located 30 miles northeast of Cold Bay when the incident occurred. The Coast…
It was a busy weekend for the U.S. Coast Guard along the West Coast, including two medical evacuations from vessels underway offshore. First, on February 19, 2021, the Coast Guard responded to hails from the 10,000 TEU containership M/V HYUNDAI JUPITER 40 nautical miles to the west of San Luis Obispo, California. A person aboard…
On Saturday afternoon at approximately 4:40 p.m., a 38-foot fishing boat capsized at the mouth of Tillamook Bay, sending all four individuals on board into the water. Fortunately, the U.S. Coast Guard was monitoring the area from a nearby watchtower when the incident occurred, enabling a swift response from rescue crews. Coast Guard teams were…
A significant fire erupted aboard F/V ALEUTIAN FALCON in the Port of Tacoma overnight and into the morning of February 18, 2021. The vessel is said to be 356 feet in length and docked at Pier 12. It is operated by Trident Seafoods. Firefighters continued to fight the blaze throughout the morning. Officials voiced concern…
