MARITIME CASUALTY - WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHY

Our mission is to investigate and discover the facts and real reason for marine casualties what really happened and why. For years we have gone beyond the headlines and looked for real answers.

| by

The Coast Guard announced today a formal marine casualty investigation has been convened into the marine casualty of the commercial fishing vessel Coastal Reign which capsized February 20, 2021 resulting in the loss of two lives.

The crew of the 38-foot fishing vessel, Coastal Reign, were attempting to cross the Tillamook Bay Bar inbound when the vessel capsized with four crewmembers on board.

Coast Guard authorized the investigation pursuant to the authority contained in Title 46, United States Code, Section 6301 and the regulations thereunder.

Upon completion of the investigation, the Coast Guard will issue a report of investigation with collected evidence, established facts and conclusions and recommendations regarding these marine casualties.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

A Coast Guard helicopter medevaced a crewman from the fishing vessel Alaska Ocean Sunday approximately 30 miles northeast of Cold Bay, Alaska, with a crush injury to his arm.

News of the arm injury aboard the fishing vessel Alaska Ocean came in at at approximately 7 p.m. asking medical assistance for the 45-year-old crew member who suffered arm crush injury.

The Alaska Ocean was 60 miles from Cold Bay during the initial call for help. Watchstanders directed the launch of the Jayhawk aircrew from the Forward Operating Location Cold Bay.

The Jayhawk aircrew hoisted the man at approximately 10:30 p.m. and transferred him to the local Cold Bay medical clinic to wait for further transport to Anchorage.

Such injuries can mean that life as a fisherman is ended and the injured person may no longer be able to work aboard ship. Expenses for treating the injury may be only the beginning as retraining for another job on shore can be life changing and expensive. It is important to know your rights and get expert advice to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of an injury at sea.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

A Coast Guard helicopter medevaced a fisherman with severe leg injuries that were sustained aboard the Magnus Martens Wednesday in the Bering Sea, about 80 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor.

The helicopter crew aboard Cutter Alex Haley, used a rescue litter to hoist the badly injured crewman from the vessel Magnus Martens after he suffered a severe leg injury. He was flown Dutch Harbor where weather prevented normal transportation, so he was further transported by helicopter to Cold Bay into the care of Guardian Flight Alaska personnel for further transport to Anchorage.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley received initial notification about the injured man while on patrol in the Bering Sea in the vicinity of Unimak Island.

The man was initially taken to Dutch Harbor to receive care, but needed to be taken to a higher level of care. The weather at the time did not allow a contracted provider to pick up the injured man in Dutch Harbor, so the Coast Guard helicopter crew flew him to Cold Bay for the transfer to Guardian Flight care.

“Due to the range from Dutch Harbor and because the fisherman’s severe injuries required additional time to place him in a rescue litter, the helicopter needed to refuel at sea,” said Lt. Wes Jones, aircraft commander for the case. “Helicopter in-flight refueling is an incredibly demanding and complex maneuver for both the cutter and the aircraft to increase on scene endurance. The combined teamwork of the crew aboard Alex Haley, the Magnus Martens, and the 17th District command center enabled us to get this man on a Guardian Flight aircraft headed to Anchorage to receive the care he needs.”

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a crewman Monday suffering a severe hand and leg injury aboard a commercial freighter 135 miles off the Washington coast.

Canadian dispatch in Victoria contacted US Coast Guard at 9:30 a.m., reporting a 39-year-old crewman had injured his hand and leg by falling. The vessel was 135 miles west of Cape Flattery en route to China.

At approximately 12:30 p.m. the injured crewman was hoisted and proceeded to Astoria, Oregon, where he was transferred to emergency medical services personnel at the airport just after 2 p.m.

Slip and fall incidents may often be caused by poor working conditions, inadequate protective gear, or the state of repair of important equipment on board, and resulting injuries can receive compensation payments.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

The Coast Guard medevaced the chief engineer from a fishing vessel Frontier Spirit approximately 70 miles northwest of Saint Paul, Tuesday.

A helicopter crew from Kodiak safely hoisted the 43-year-old shortly after noon, and transferred him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel in Saint Paul Island for transport to Anchorage.

The medevac request came direct from the fishing vessel Frontier Spirit for the chief engineer who was experiencing abdominal pain. A Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, recommended a medevac. The aircrew launched from Forward Operating Location Cold Bay.

On-scene weather conditions were 20 mph winds, 25 foot seas, and 10 miles visibility.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a Tulalip Tribal Police Department Officer missing in the waters near Naval Station Everett on the Snohomish River.

Of the two crew members who went missing after their vessel capsized in rough waters, only one has been recovered.

At 8:48 p.m. Tuesday, Coast Guard in Puget Sound received notification from Officer Bernie Edge that a two-man crew had capsized their 26-foot work skiff. Officer Edge said that the vessel was heading out of the jetty when they reported the seas were rough and that they were taking water over the bow.

At 11:50 p.m. one survivor was recovered near Hat Island by a civilian vessel participating in the search. The survivor reported that he last saw his partner 30 minutes prior to being recovered. He was transported to emergency service technicians for medical care.

Navy Whidbey Island Search and Rescue located the capsized vessel submerged approximately 2 feet below the water line.

Multiple federal, state, local and Tribal crews searched for more than 22 hours. Crews involved in the search included:
Coast Guard Station Seattle;
Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles;
Coast Guard Cutter Sea Lion;
Tulalip Tribal Police Department;
Navy Whidbey Island Search and Rescue;
Naval Station Everett Security Teams;
Everett Fire Department Marine Units ;
Everett Police Dive Units;
Snohomish County Sheriffs Department Marine Units;
Washington State Ferry Service;
Approximately 40 good Samaritan vessels from the Talulip Tribal Fishing Fleet

“The Coast Guard and our Navy, state, local and Tribal partners saturated the waters of the Snohomish River to locate the missing police officer, but, unfortunately we were not able to find him after an extensive search,” said Lt. Zachary Kearney, the Sector Puget Sound command duty officer. “The decision to suspend a search is one of the most difficult decisions the Coast Guard has to make. We search as if one of our own is missing. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the missing Tulalip Tribal officer.”

The search is suspended pending further developments. If anyone has information regarding the whereabouts of the Tulalip Tribal officer, please call Sector Puget Sound at 206-217-6001.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

The Coast Guard rescued a 70-year-old man from the waters of Union Bay, Alaska, northwest of Meyers Chuck, Sunday.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted the man, who was in the water clinging to a piece of debris, and took him to awaiting emergency medical services in Ketchikan, Alaska. The man was reported to be in stable condition.

Watchstanders received a search and rescue satellite alert from the fishing vessel Irony at approximately 4:46 p.m. An air crew from Sitka and the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa launched to conduct the search and rescue mission.

“Thankfully due to the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon we were able to locate the man in the water quickly,” said Nick Meyers the Sector Juneau command duty officer. “This allowed us to deploy our survival swimmer and hoist the man to safety to get him to further medical treatment.”

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

Coast Guard rescued three boaters Sunday whose vessels had become stuck in ice, approximately five miles northeast of Hole in the Wall Glacier on the Taku River.

A Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted all three boaters at about 8 p.m. from jet boats that were stuck in approximately one foot of ice, and transported them to Juneau Airport.

Sector Juneau command center received initial notification from the operator of good Samaritan vessel Nantucket, who reported two of the vessels stuck in ice at approximately 5 p.m. Watchstanders also received a call from a spouse of one of the boaters reporting the party overdue.

A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Station Juneau proceeded to Taku Inlet in order to relay communications and to support the helicopter crew.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

The 55ft fishing vessel Elise Marie taking on water and disabled, six miles south of Icy Bay, Alaska, Wednesday.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew delivered a dewatering pump at about 9 p.m. The Elise Marie crew was able to use the pump to keep up with the flooding while they waited for further assistance.

Watchstanders received initial request for assistance from Elise Marie via an InReach device at approximately 7 p.m. and directed the launch of multiple units to assist, including the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick arrived on scene Thursday at approximately 10:30 a.m., and took the Elise Marie in tow toward Yakutat.

Yakutat Police Department took over the tow of the Elise Marie near shore and the vessel arrived safely in Yakutat at 11:30 p.m., Thursday.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

| by

The Coast Guard medevaced a 26 year old crewman from the fishing vessel Defender Tuesday approximately 100 miles northwest of Cold Bay. The Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted the man at 6:55 a.m. and transferred him to awaiting emergency medical services in Cold Bay for further transport to Anchorage.

Coast Guard received the request for the medevac from the fishing vessel Defender at approximately 7 p.m. Monday for a 26 year-old crew-member who was experiencing eye and head pain.

The Defender was 170 miles from Cold Bay during the initial call for help. A Jayhawk aircrew launched from the Forward Operating Location Cold Bay and diverted Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley as a secondary asset to assist if needed.

by Tom Evans, Injury at Sea. Continue Reading

Contact Information
Injury at Sea has offices throughout Washington, Oregon, and Alaska
Phone: 1-800-732-7258 Phone: 1-800-SEA-SALT Fax: 206-527-0725

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2016 – 2021, Injury at Sea
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design