Casualties News

Houthis Target Three Ships in Red Sea and Arabian Sea

Yemen's Houthis said on Monday that they targeted three ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, attacks they called part of their efforts to enforce a naval blockade on Israel.Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised address the vessels were targeted for attempting to approach ports bound for Israel.According to the latest data from LSEG, all three targeted vessels were Liberia-registered.One of the vessels, identified by the Houthis as bulk carrier Motaro, was last seen off Yemen's western coast in the Red Sea…

Dali Owner to Pay US $102 Million Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

The owner and operator of the cargo ship that struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six people, have agreed to pay $102 million to the federal government, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday.The department in September filed a civil claim seeking $103 million from two Singaporean companies, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited. The claim was intended to recoup the money the U.S. government spent responding to the disaster…

Tug Crew Rescued After Losing Steering in Rough Seas Off Washington Coast

Five people were rescued from a tug that lost steering in heavy seas off the coast of La Push, Wash., Friday afternoon.At 4:10 p.m., the 130-foot commercial tug Luther lost steering and was beset by weather while towing a concrete barge 10 miles off the coast of La Push and requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard. On scene weather conditions were 10- to 14-foot seas and winds of 45-knots.A 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) crew from Coast Guard Station Quillayute River, an MH-60 Jayhawk crew from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria…

Guilty Plea in Hudson River Tragedy: Vessel Owner Admits Negligence Leading to Fatal Capsizing

Richard Cruz, owner and captain of the motor vessel Stimulus Money, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death. This plea stems from a tragic incident in July 2022 that claimed the lives of a seven-year-old boy and a 48-year-old woman when the vessel capsized in the Hudson River.The announcement was made by Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Cruz appeared before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla…

Two Vessels Struck in Russian Attack on Odesa

Another Russian missile attack on Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa damaged two civilian vessels and a grain storage on Monday, killing one person and injuring at least eight, Ukrainian authorities said.Russian troops have ramped up strikes on Ukraine's southern port infrastructure in recent weeks. Such attacks, which damaged a total of four foreign-flagged vessels since Oct. 6, had already pushed insurance rates up.One of the two vessels hit on Monday was a Palau-flagged bulk carrier…

Oil Tanker Catches Fire Off Northern Germany

An oil tanker caught fire off the Baltic Sea coast of northern Germany early on Friday, and all seven crew members on board at the time were taken ashore, maritime rescue services said in a statement.Three vessels have been deployed to the burning tanker Annika in the Mecklenburg Bay to extinguish the blaze, with several firefighting teams also en route to the site via helicopters, according to the statement.The Germany-flagged, 73-metre-long tanker is carrying around 640 tonnes of oil, it added.

Captain's Gender Had Nothing to Do With Sinking of New Zealand Naval Ship, Defense Minister Says

New Zealand's Defence Minister on Thursday publicly criticised online trolling of the female captain of a naval vessel that sunk at the weekend, saying while the cause of the incident was unknown, it had nothing to do with the captain’s gender.The Manawanui, the navy's specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, sank on Sunday on a reef off the coast of Samoa that it was surveying. Its 75 crew and passengers were ordered to abandon the vessel in life rafts and were later rescued."A court of inquiry has been stood up to establish what caused this terrible incident.

Liberia-flagged Tanker Struck off Yemen

A Liberia-flagged tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Red Sea causing minor damage, but no casualties, British maritime security agencies said on Thursday.The incident occurred about 73 nautical miles (135 kilometres) southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, security firm Ambrey said.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said separately that it had received a report of an incident in the same area, adding authorities are investigating.The chemical/products tanker, en route from Saudi Arabia's Jeddah to Muscat in Oman was struck on its starboard side.

Manawanui Sinking: Speedy Cleanup Will Be Crucial, But Many Challenges Ahead

Speed will be of the essence as salvage crews attempt to stop fuel leaking from the sunken New Zealand naval ship off the coast of Samoa.The HMNZS Manawanui ran aground last weekend on a reef about one nautical mile off the south coast of Upolu, Samoa’s most populated island. The specialist dive and hydrographic vessel was on its third deployment, conducting a reef survey, when it caught fire and sank.The ship has come to rest at a depth of up to 150 metres, which means it may be relatively undisturbed even during storms.

Towboat Deckhand Was Asleep at Helm When Barge Struck Dock

A deckhand at the helm of a towing vessel had fallen asleep before the tow struck a dock near Clatskanie, Ore. last year, according to a report published by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday.The deckhand of the towing vessel Cindy B was experiencing the effects of fatigue while at the helm on Nov. 12, 2023. The towing vessel was pushing the loaded deck barge St. John up the Columbia River when the tow gradually moved to starboard out of the channel and struck the Port Westward Beaver Dock.The deckhand fell asleep during the end of his scheduled night watch…

Prepare for Attack: Houthis Issue Email Alert to Shipping Fleets

On a warm spring night in Athens, shortly before midnight, a senior executive at a Greek shipping company noticed an unusual email had landed in his personal inbox.The message, which was also sent to the manager's business email address, warned that one of the company's vessels travelling through the Red Sea was at risk of being attacked by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militia.The Greek-managed ship had violated a Houthi-imposed transit ban by docking at an Israeli port and would be "directly targeted by the Yemeni Armed Forces in any area they deem appropriate…

Barge Breaks Free in High Water on the Tennessee River

A barge that broke free on the Tennessee River near Loudon, Tenn. has been recovered and secured, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.The breakaway was caused by high water stemming from Hurricane Helene.The Coast Guard said it is cautioning mariners to monitor river levels and proceed with caution when transiting the Tennessee River as the high water situation persists.Helene slammed into the Florida Panhandle as a major hurricane on September. 26, and its winds, rain and storm surge killed over 100 people across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest.

Two Vessels Damaged in Attacks Off Yemen

Two vessels sustained damage after being hit with missiles and a sea drone off Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah early on Tuesday, maritime security agencies and sources monitoring the area said.Both vessels reported that their crews were safe.One of the vessels, the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Cordelia Moon, reported being hit by an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) 64 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said.The vessel, which was in ballast condition…

Death Toll Climbs in Oil Barge Sinking Off Venezuela

At least four people have been reported dead following the sinking of an oil barge operated by a contractor of Venezuela's state-run energy company PDVSA at the country's Lake Maracaibo, according to a report of the accident on Thursday and sources.Another 19 people had been successfully rescued by Thursday morning at the accident site, the report added.Incidents involving barges that carry Venezuelan oil and fuel between domestic ports and to the Caribbean have become frequent.

Oil Barge Sinks in Venezuela, Killing Two

At least two people died and four were declared missing following the sinking of an oil barge operated by a contractor of Venezuelan state-run energy company PDVSA at Lake Maracaibo, PDVSA said on Thursday.Sources and an internal report from the company had indicated four fatalities from the accident earlier on Thursday. But PDVSA said rescue work to find the four missing people has not finished."PDVSA reports the unfortunate sinking of barge Chantase G of company SOSCA, provider of oil well maintenance services…

Tugboat Captain's Error Led to Bridge Strike in Tacoma

A tugboat captain's error caused an articulated tug and barge (ATB) to strike and damage the fending system protecting the Hylebos Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., last October, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The tugboat Olympic Scout, operated by Olympic Tug & Barge, was assisting the ATB Montlake/Sodo, also operated by Olympic Tug & Barge, as it transited outbound on the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, on October 12, 2023. The Montlake/Sodo’s captain requested the Hylebos Bridge operator open the bridge.

Maryland Sues Dali Owner, Operator Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

The state of Maryland on Tuesday filed civil claims against the owner and operator of the cargo ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six people and paralyzing a major transportation artery for the U.S. Northeast.The lawsuit seeks damages from two Singaporean companies that are the registered owner of the Dali cargo ship, Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, for the cost of the bridge, cleanup efforts, environmental claims and other costs.

Yacht Fire Triggers Oil Spill in California

Cleanup efforts are underway after a 105-foot yacht caught fire, capsized and spilled oil in Marina del Rey, Calif., the U.S. Coast Guard said.The motor yacht The Admiral reportedly went up in flames around 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, and a crew from Los Angeles County Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported.By Thursday morning, the yacht was discovered to be discharging red-dye diesel. The vessel’s fuel capacity is said to be 6,000 gallons.A Unified Command including members of the Coast Guard…

Families of Workers Killed in Baltimore Bridge Tragedy Sue Dali Owner, Operator

The families of the six workers who died in the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore filed lawsuits on Friday against the owner and operator of the cargo ship that struck the bridge.The lawsuits filed in Maryland federal court by the families of Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Miguel Angel Luna, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval and Jose Mynor Lopez seek unspecified damages from the registered owner of the ship…

Containership Dali Leaves US for Chinese Repair Yard

The containership Dali has departed U.S. waters en route to a Chinese repair yard nearly six months after the vessel struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, triggering its deadly collapse.The Singapore-registered ship, which had been moved from Baltimore to Norfolk, Va. in June for initial repairs, will undergo more extensive repair work at a yard in Ningbo, China. Dali departed Norfolk on Thursday without cargo and under escort from the U.S. Coast Guard and a trio of tugboats. The damaged vessels' journey to China is expected to take about 6-7 weeks due speed restrictions.The U.S.

Antigua-flagged Vessel Damaged in Russian Attack

A Russian missile strike has damaged infrastructure and an Antigua-flagged civilian vessel in the Ukrainian port of Odesa, the regional governor said on Friday.Four people were wounded in the airstrike, Governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app."Debris from, according to preliminary assessment, an Iskander-M missile, damaged port and civilian infrastructure, as well as a civilian ship flying the flag of Antigua," Kiper said.The Iskander-M is a ballistic missile which flies at several times the speed of sound and has a stated range of up to 500 km (310 miles).A market source, speak

Crewmember Goes Missing From Canadian Coast Guard Vessel

The Canadian Coast Guard has called off a search for a crewmember believed to have gone overboard from one of its icebreaker vessels off Newfoundland's northeast coast. The CCGS Vincent Massey crewmember, who was reportedly last seen aboard the ship on Sunday evening, was reported missing at 8:15 a.m. on Monday when the vessel arrived in St. John's.An "extensive" search involving Canadian Coast Guard vessels, aircraft and vessels from other federal sources was launched but proved unsuccessful.

OSHA Fines Marine Services Firm for Multiple Violations Related to Vessel Fire

A marine services company was cited for 15 serious violations and fined $164,000 for exposing workers to fire and asphyxiation hazards while making repairs to a Canadian-registered bulk carrier moored at the Port of Ashtabula, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said.The 81-year-old vessel Cuyahoga was in winter lay-up when a fire broke out on March 15, 2024 while maintenance and repair work was being performed. All crew members working on board managed to escape without injury.Acting on a referral from the U.S.