Missing woman’s husband acted odd, passengers say

At 8 p.m. on Christmas night, a surveillance camera on a Caribbean cruise ship captured the image of a woman in a bathrobe falling over the railing. Two days later, her husband accepted condolences from a fellow passenger and announced his immediate plans — a trip to the ship’s casino.The husband, identified as Ray Seitz of central Florida, had reported his wife missing around 4 a.m. Friday, eight hours after the camera recorded the image of the woman identified as his wife, 36-year-old Jennifer Seitz. No announcement was ever made to other passengers, and the ship continued on its way as if nothing had happened, according to Jim and Suzanne Nestor, who talked about the incident with TODAY’s Lester Holt Monday in New York.

Former Texas Seaman Files Jones Act Suit

"Jones Act Lawsuit against Diamond Offshore Services Company" A worker from Dewitt County has filed a Jones Act lawsuit against a maritime company in Galveston, Texas County District Court, claiming he sustained serious injuries while on the job. Richard Dean Dewitt alleges his employer, Diamond Offshore Services Company, failed to protect his safety while he worked on the Ocean Clipper. According to the lawsuit, Diamond Offshore violated the Jones Act and U.S. Maritime law, and did not ensure a safe environment for its workers.

Jones Act suit blames Weeks Marine for seaman's fall - negligence and unseaworthiness

GALVESTON - A local seaman blames his employer for a fall he suffered on the job three months ago, recent court documents say. Isidro Perales Madrigal's personal injury lawsuit against Weeks Marine Inc. alleges the defendant neglected to assure the plaintiff's safety as he worked on a company-owned vessel on Sept. 14. The suit was filed by attorneys from Clark, Dean & Burnett GP on Dec. 9 in Galveston County District Court. Galveston County 212nd District Court Judge Susan Criss is presiding over the case. It states Madrigal was climbing down a ladder between the unnamed ship's booster and turntable barges when he reportedly took a spill. "The plaintiff was injured when the ladder he was climbing down slipped, causing the plaintiff to fall into the water with the ladder," the complaint says. "This incident was caused by the negligence of the defendant and those for whom it is liable." The suit also accuses Weeks of failing to keep the vessel in proper working order, which is a violation of the Jones Act. "The defendant's vessel was unseaworthy because it was not reasonably fit for its intended purpose and such unseaworthiness was a proximate cause of the plaintiff's damages," it says. Madrigal says he sustained serious and disabling injuries to his right knee and back as a result of the incident. The plaintiff adds he experienced losses of earnings and household services as well as great physical pain and mental anguish. "(Madrigal) has suffered loss of enjoyment of life as a result of the injuries incurred," the suit says. Consequently, he seeks damages to cover medical and hospital expenses. "The defendant is also liable to the plaintiff for payment of maintenance and cure until such time as the plaintiff reaches maximum medical improvement," the suit says.

Late-night fun turns deadly on Fox River - Boating Accident Kills 3 - Posted by Jacksonville Florida Maritime Lawyers

ALGONQUIN — Three Chicago teenagers drowned in the Fox River early Friday morning after sneaking away late on their last night at a nearby youth camp and launching paddleboats into the dark, quickly-moving water. All three bodies were recovered from the water near Camp Algonquin on Cary Road in the northwest suburb by 11:15 a.m. Friday. Authorities searched the river throughout the morning using divers, sonar and other equipment to skim the surface, according to Lt. Julie Didier of the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District.

N.C. tourist dies in Florida Keys diving accident

KEY LARGO -- A 51-year-old woman from North Carolina died Thursday after diving at French Reef, about 4 ½ miles off Key Largo in the Atlantic Ocean. Joanne Page was pronounced dead on the scene. Her boyfriend, Eugene Jackson of Salisbury, N.C., gave Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission officers this account:

FWB official's daughter injured in fatal sailing accident

FORT WALTON BEACH - A woman is on her way home after fighting for her life following a boating accident that killed one person and injured three others, including herself. Tracy Garvie, co-owner of GLC Construction and daughter of Fort Walton Beach City Councilman Bill Garvie, was on a sailboat about 100 miles southeast of Atlantic City, N.J., when what may have been a rogue wave overturned the 44-foot boat. The three sailors had to bail water from the sinking vessel for 12 hours before they were rescued. One of the sailors, 65-year-old Phil Rubright of Detroit, drowned after a failed rescue attempt that also injured a Coast Guard swimmer.

Injured Seaman's Basic Rights - Video by Clark & Watson - Jacksonville Maritime Lawyers

Mel Oliver Tug pilot testifies in Miss. River crash hearing

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An improperly licensed and overworked towboat pilot said Tuesday that radar and steering lever problems led him to veer his tug into the path of a tanker along the Mississippi River, leading to a crash and oil spill that shut the major waterway for days. During a Coast Guard fact-gathering hearing into the July 23 collision, John Paul Bavaret II said his towboat, the Mel Oliver, got in the way of a southbound Liberian tanker ship because he became distracted by a malfunctioning radar.

Airboat captain cited in sinking - Udate on Story

Wildlife officials have cited an airboat captain with failing to quickly report a boating accident in South Florida.Officials say Charles W. Riley was driving an overloaded tourboat that took on water and sank in an Everglades marsh populated with alligators. Investigators said the boat's capacity was 23 people but that 37 were onboard. Other airboat captains in the area rescued the tourists, among them young children, and some suffered minor injuries. See this too.

Attorneys probe lack of oversight of towboat industry

A Coast Guard investigation of a July oil spill took a philosophical turn Thursday when an attorney for the ship involved in the accident criticized lax government oversight of the towboat industry.Michael Butterworth, who represents the ship Tintomara, told Coast Guard investigating officer Melissa Harper that the agency needs a regular inspection program for towboats. The comment came after Harper stopped several witnesses from answering Butterworth's questions about the lack of supervision of the towboat industry.

Maritime Law - What is it? One lawyer answers...

From the Wall Street Journal Blog-

Earlier today, in a post on the Exxon Valdez litigation, we copped to not knowing much at all about maritime law. Well, over the course of the afternoon, the admission started to gnaw within us, so we decided to rectify the situation. We checked in with Warren Marwedel, the first vice president of the Maritime Law Association and a name partner at Chicago’s Marwedel, Minichello & Reeb, a nine-lawyer outfit which specializes in admiralty and maritime law. He, well, righted our ship pretty quickly.

Five years later, Staten Island ferry crash victim standing tall

Out of the city's deadliest transportation accident in decades emerged the story of a young Staten Island man whose spirit defied belief. Paul Esposito was a 24-year-old waiter with his whole life ahead of him when he lost both of his legs - and nearly his life - in the 2003 Staten Island ferry crash.

Pilot: Towboat erratic before Miss. River spill

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A towboat was so erratic it appeared its operator "had had a stroke" as it pushed a barge into the path of a tanker before a collision that shut a major shipping waterway over the summer, the tanker's pilot testified Thursday.The tanker ran over the barge in July, causing the barge's fuel tank to rupture and spill about 276,000 gallons of oil into the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The collision closed the river for six days.

Bodies of US reps' brother, his girlfriend found

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The bodies of the brother of two Southern California congresswomen and his girlfriend have been recovered from the waters off Los Angeles, days after the couple disappeared during a boat trip, authorities said Thursday. The bodies of Henry Sanchez, 51, and Penny Avila, 48, were pulled from the wreckage of Sanchez's 26-foot motor boat on Wednesday, Coast Guard and Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies said.

US loses Jones Act case

A federal court in Virginia has handed the Shipbuilders Council of America its second victory this year in cases it brought against the Coast Guard for allowing major work on Jones Act ships to be done at foreign shipyards. Matthew Paxton, SCA president, said Tuesday that District Judge T.S. Ellis of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia had issued an order Sept. 30 in favor of the organization, which had sued over the conversion of a Matson container ship to a combination container-car carrier vessel at a yard in China.

Fishing boat accident spurs indictment

A crew member aboard a commercial fishing boat that sank off the Manasquan Inlet was indicted yesterday on charges he illegally discharged diesel fuel into the Atlantic Ocean. The indictment charged Keith Rose, 46, of Wellfleet, Mass., with one count of violating the state's Water Pollution Control Act in the July 2 crash that resulted in the sinking of the Susan II, state Attor ney General Anne Milgram said.

Tugboat Life

This is a really fantastic site for professional mariners and industry people. It is run by professional mariners too.

Dwayne

St. Johns River Boat Accident Kills 1 in April - Jacksonville Florida Boating Accident Lawyers @ lawboat.com

Video on boating accident on St. Johns River near Jacksonville.

Shipping ex-execs plead guilty in Jones Act antitrust case

Four former U.S. shipping company executives have agreed to plead guilty and serve jail sentences for their roles in what the U.S. Department of Justice describes as "a wide-ranging conspiracy to rig bids, fix prices and allocate market shares for customers transporting goods between the continental United States and Puerto Rico by ocean vesse." The Department also announced that a fifth shipping executive has agreed to plead guilty to destroying evidence of the shipping conspiracy.

Barge Accident Victim Denied Jones Act Claim - No Seaman's Status

This legal analysis is from Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog. The blog post is on seaman's status.

Coast Guard Hearing Continues on Mel Oliver Collision in New Orleans

Jan Stefan Bjarve, the Captain of the Tintomara(the tanker involved in the crash) blames the tug boat. In his testimony about the collision, he said the trip up the river was a fairly routine one, then he saw the Mel Oliver (the tug boat) coming across his path. Bjarve said he could see the Mel Oliver Coming vary close, and that its speed was increasing. It was determined earlier by the Coast Guard that an unlicensed apprentice steersman was at the controls of the Mel Oliver at the time of the accident. The apprentice steersman is essentially someone with a maritime learner’s permit. A tape was played of the Tintomara’s radio call trying to alert the Mel Oliver. Click Here

Disney motto helped dad, autistic son survive at sea

Lost at sea with nothing to hold onto amid a dreadful darkness, Florida resident Walter Marino continually called out some of the few words his 12-year-old autistic son Christopher responds to. The pair, swept out in a late-afternoon current near Daytona Beach, had been treading water in shark- and jellyfish-infested waters throughout the night, slowly floating apart. “I’d be screaming, ‘To infinity ... and beyond!’ ”

Obama pledges Jones Act support

September 8, 2008 Obama pledges Jones Act support Democratic Party presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama has given a clear and unambiguous commitment to the Jones Act, the Maritime Security Program and U.S. Cargo Preference laws. It comes in the form of a letter to Michael Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union which has endorsed Senator Obama for President. In his letter, Senator Obama says "America needs a strong and vibrant U.S.-Flag Merchant Marine. That is why you and your members can continue to count on me to support the Jones Act (which also includes the Passenger Vessel Services Act) and the continued exclusion of maritime services in international trade agreements ..." "To make sure our Armed Forces have the equipment and ammunition they need at the time the materiel are required, my Administration will solidly support the continuation of the Maritime Security Program ..." "A strong U.S.-Flag commercial fleet needs our nation's Cargo Preference laws. Whether it is carrying needed goods to those overseas in distress or moving government-generated cargo, American Mariners aboard American ships make sure the job is done." You can read the letter HERE

Deceased worker's family files asbestos, Jones Act suit against 13 companies

At the age of 75, George Greer, Sr. allegedly died from mesothelioma. His family is holding more than a dozen companies accountable for his exposure to asbestos and death and has filed a suit on his behalf. As the representative of Greer's estate, Rosia Greer filed the suit against Chevron USA and 12 other companies in Jefferson County District Court on Aug. 28. Court documents show that Greer was employed by various defendant companies from 1960 through the 1980s. He also worked as a seaman during that time span, allowing his family to sue under the Jones Act. "During the period of his employment by the Defendants, Decedent was exposed to asbestos and/or asbestos-containing products and, as a result, he has sustained severe and permanent personal injuries and damages in the form of mesothelioma, a disease from which he died from," the suit says.

Tugboat Was Warned Before Collision

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The pilot of a tanker involved in an accident that spilled thousands of gallons of fuel into the Mississippi River repeatedly warned a tugboat to get out of the way before they collided, but no one responded, according to radio transmissions released on Saturday by the Coast Guard. The July 23 wreck shut down part of the nation’s busiest waterway for days. The recordings and radar from that day show that the tugboat, the Mel Oliver, which was pushing a barge carrying fuel, crossed in front of the tanker, the Tintamara. “Mel Oliver, come in cap, you’re crossing the bottom of a ship coming at you,” a Coast Guard traffic controller says on the recording. As the pilot of the tanker became increasingly distressed, he repeatedly called out to the Mel Oliver. Also on Saturday, the Coast Guard released the results of its preliminary investigation. It found that the person operating the Mel Oliver had an apprentice mate’s license and that no one aboard had the proper documentation to guide it. The captain and the steersman apprentice of the tug and the pilot of the tanker have been summoned to a hearing in New Orleans on Aug. 12.

Seamen infected with MRSA sue ship owners for $2 million Under Jones Act

GALVESTON - Two local seamen are suing a ship owner for $2 million for failing to inform them of an allegedly high presence of bacteria on the vessel. Orben Bounds and Shawn Owens were stricken with a staph infection while they working on the M/V Cheryl K between 2007 and 2008, court papers say. The personal injury suit against Cheryl K Inc. was filed in the Galveston County 212th District Court on July 25. "The M/V Cheryl K was inhabited with a virulent form of staph, called MRSA," the suit says, adding the medical problem does not have a cure and is potentially fatal.

Anniversary of "The Vessel of Death" - Also, Jury to be seated in Oct. 15, 2003 Staten Island Ferry Case

On a warm summer day much like this one 137 years ago today, more than 200 people boarded the Staten Island ferryboat Westfield at South Ferry in Manhattan. Many of them walked through to the bow of the ship, to enjoy the scenery and try to catch a cool breeze on the way to Staten Island.

Underneath the spot where they stood, just as the ship was about to leave its slip, the ship's boiler suddenly exploded, blowing a hole through the ship's wooden frame. The horrific destruction and severity of the injuries that killed more than 125 passengers and wounded dozens more created a scene described by the New York Times as "one of the most ghastly in human annals."

As an interesting historical footnote, among the injured passengers was Antonio Meucci, credited as being the "real" inventor of the telephone. As the story goes, Meucci was severely burned in the Westfield explosion, and as he was recovering from his injuries, his wife sold his original telephone prototype, along with models of other inventions, for $6, to ease the couple's dire financial situation. He was never able to afford a patent, and Alexander Graham Bell was subsequently credited with the telephone's invention. The Westfield explosion on July 30, 1871, still stands as the worst disaster in Staten Island Ferry history. Meanwhile, in a more recent ferry tragedy, jury selection is set to begin next week for personal injury suits against the city stemming from the deadly Staten Island Ferry crash of Oct. 15, 2003, which killed 11 passengers and maimed others.

Seaman claims poor lighting caused fall, files Jones Act suit

A seaman is claiming inadequate lighting caused him to fall and injure his back while serving aboard a ship off the Gulf Coast. Seeking $500,000 in damages, Gary Sheppard is suing Aramark Corp. and Noble Drilling Corp. He claims the companies' negligence caused him to trip and fall.Sheppard's lawsuit was filed under the Jones Act in U.S. District Court, Beaumont Division, on July 23.

Matson, Horizon in antitrust lawsuit

An antitrust class-action lawsuit filed in federal court claims Matson Navigation Co. and Horizon Lines Inc. conspired to fix their rate increases through fuel surcharges and at a much higher amount than the actual increase in the cost of the fuel.

Also, the Feds are investigating Crowley and Sea Star in an antitrust probe.

Coast Guard Dogs

Debbie Reynolds' Riverboat Back Afloat After Sinking

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Coast Guard announced it was able to get the riverboat belonging to actress Debbie Reynolds that sank near Green Cove Springs out of the water late Tuesday night.

Tanker collides with barge loaded with fuel oil; 419,000 gallons spilled

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard closed 29 miles of the Mississippi River at New Orleans after a 600-foot tanker and a barge loaded with fuel oil collided, breaking the barge in half. Nobody was injured, but more than 419,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil spilled from the barge, said Lt. Cdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau, a Coast Guard spokeswoman

After Quick Activation of Locating Device, Kauai Fishermen Saved by Coast Guard

All fishermen were reported to be wearing life jackets and are in good condition. The fishermen used a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to send a distress signal. “Had they not had a PLB, we wouldn’t have gotten the notification until hours later when they would have failed to show up at home,” said Chief Petty Officer Seth Haynes, the Coast Guard District 14 search and rescue control chief.” We were able to respond in ten minutes rather than several hours.” The weather at the time was reported by the fishermen to the Coast Guard as strong, blustery tradewinds at 20 knots out of the north-northeast and seas of seven feet.

The use of this "personal locator beacon" probably saved their lives.

Dwayne

Felicia Bell Brookins - Shot At Crowley Maritime Talleyrand Terminal; Suspect Barricaded On Northside

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As homicide detectives investigate the early-morning shooting of a woman in the parking lot at the Crowley Maritime terminal, near Jacksonville Port Authority's Talleyrand facilities, police said a man barricaded in a Northside home is a suspect in the shooting.

Udpate story.

Second Update.

Third Update.

Brookins has worked there about 15 years, Crowley spokeswoman Jenifer Kimble said. The business, which has about 70 employees, requires ID verification to enter past the parking lot. But Kimble said the shooter probably knew that and met Brookins as she arrived to start her work day.

Crews At Jaxport Move Pieces Of Massive Yacht

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Pieces of what will become a multimillion-dollar, mega yacht came through Jacksonville Port Authority on Wednesday. Crews meticulously moved four giant structures, which will become just a small section of the massive yacht.

Cynthia Woods Fatal Capsize

'Keels don't fall off boats. They should be built so they don't fall off.' In this seemingly innocent statement to the Houston Chronicle by the widow of the safety officer who died saving crew members of the Cape Fear yacht Cynthia Woods when it capsized during a race in the Gulf of Mexico, she has summed up the feelings of a growing number of sailors, both cruisers and racers.

Pilot files Jones Act suit for injury during boat transfer

The lawsuit was filed under the Jones Act, which among other things, allows injured sailors to obtain damages from their employers due to negligence caused by the ship owner, captain or fellow members of the crew.According to the plaintiff's original petition, Anderson was employed as a pilot with Sabine Pilots of Groves.

Jones Act suit filed against Kirby Inland Marine

Merchant mariner John R. McGee has filed a lawsuit against Kirby Inland Marine for injuries he received more than two years ago while working aboard one of the firm's ships.

Ghost ship wrecks Bali surfing contest

Mark Forbes in Denpasar July 16, 2008 AN ILLEGAL fishing ship whose captain is rumoured to have been murdered has thrown plans for the World Surfing Championship in Bali into chaos by running aground on the island's best surf break.Mystery surrounds the arrival of the Taiwanese vessel Ho Tsai Fa No. 18 off Padang Padang beach. Locals woke on Saturday to see the 30-metre-long vessel foundering on a reef, and reaped a barbecue bonanza by emptying its holds of tuna and shark.

5-year-old drowns near Rainier

How the boy fell into the river remains unclear. Bystanders said they heard the boy was either riding on the back of a Jet Ski or being towed on a float behind a Jet Ski when he fell into the water. The boy was at the beach with some family members, said Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Troy Caldwell, who refused to release the child’s name or any other information.

Diver Working on Barge Brings Lawsuit under Jones Act

Citing the Jones Act, a seaman has filed suit against his employer, Bo-Mac Contractors, for injures he received while serving aboard a barge. Daniel Bartee's suit was filed June 18 in the Jefferson County District Court. According to his petition, on March 6, Bartee was a diver aboard a Bo-Mac barge operating in the Mississippi River when he was injured. The suit does not describe how Bartee's injuries occurred.

Seaman files Jones Act suit after back injury on ship

A Las Vegas seaman serving aboard a vessel owned by the Overseas Shipping Group filed a Jones Act suit against his employer after hurting his back.Warren B. Barney Jr. claims he injured his back because the OSG Intrepid, the vessel he was serving on, was unseaworthy. Barney's suit was filed July 8 in the Jefferson County District Court.

Anthony Tufo - Court officer is lost in fall from boat

By Peter Schworm Globe Staff / July 5, 2008 When a prisoner broke free and tried to flee Quincy District Court this spring, court officer Anthony Tufo immediately took off in pursuit. He chased the escapee down the courthouse stairs, then dove headlong to tackle him, crashing into a glass window in his attempt.The prisoner was quickly apprehended, and Tufo was rushed to the emergency room with lacerations on his head and face. Despite his injuries, he returned to work that same day. Tufo, 60, of Quincy, who is married with children, was the target of a massive search yesterday in Boston Harbor after he reportedly fell out of a 34-foot motorboat Thursday evening. Co-workers said he was just as devoted to his friends and family as he was to his job.

Rick Tatum - Golf course director dies in boating accident

Originally posted by ABC7 News on: Thursday, July 03, 2008 Last updated on: 7/3/2008 5:08:57 PM MARATHON, FL: A well known Southwest Florida golf club director died in a boating accident in the Florida Keys Wednesday. Rick Tatum suffered fatal injuries when two vessels collided off Marathon Key around 8:30 a.m., according to Florida Fish and Wildlife. Three other people were injured. Tatum was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

This is an update story.

Second update re: services.

Mathews man awarded $6 million in Jones Act injury lawsuit

NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge awarded nearly $6 million in damages to a Mathews offshore worker who was burned over half of his body by a steaming chemical solution more than two years ago, when a hose burst aboard the ship he was working on in the Gulf of Mexico. Raymond Billiot Jr., a 37-year-old former maintenance technician for Schlumberger Technology Corp., was aboard the Deep Stim II, owned by Galliano-based Offshore Service Vessels, on May 9, 2006, when a rubber-hose fitting melted, dousing him with hot zinc bromide, his lawyer said. The chemical solution is pumped into drilling holes to allow oil to flow more freely.

NTSB CHAIRMAN REMINDS AMERICANS TO KEEP EYES ON SAFETY THIS JULY 4

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker today reminded all Americans that the upcoming Independence Day Weekend should be a time for celebration with friends and family, not a time to visit the emergency room because someone didn't take prudent and easy precautions when traveling.... -- When engaging in recreational boating, a popular pastime during the summer months, wear a personal flotation device (PFD) and, again, do not operate a boat if you have consumed alcohol.

National Transportation Safety Board Washington, DC 20594 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2008 SB-08-31

North Florida Shipyards goes to court in Jacksonville Florida

According to the Marine Log, North Florida Shipyards of Jacksonville, Fla., appears to have had a successful day in court. According to papers filed with the Jacksonville Division of the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, North Florida Shipyards today brought an in rem action asserting a maritime lien of $1,225,897.76 against the M/V Paladin Shadow II, being the unpaid balance of $4,764,979 of billed ship repair services.

Seaman sues four defendants in Jones Act case

6/30/2008 5:00 PM By Marilyn Tennissen M/V Ms Mary Clint Guidry, a Louisiana resident, was working as a seaman aboard the M/V Ms Mary when he became injured. Guidry filed suit against C&G Boats Inc., C&G Marine Service Inc., MNM Boats Inc. and Freeport-McMoran Energy LLC, alleging the defendants failed to furnish him a safe place to work and a seaworthy vessel. The suit was filed on June 27 in Jefferson County District Court under the Jones Act. The Jones Act is a federal statute that, among other things, allows injured sailors to obtain damages from their employers due to negligence caused by the ship owner, captain or fellow members of the crew.

Alaska Ranger - Fishing company seeks to limit liability

SEATTLE, June 29 (UPI) -- The owners of a fishing boat that sank in the Bering Sea are asking a federal judge to limit the Seattle firm's liability for the accident, court papers show.The Seattle Times reported Sunday 21 personal-injury and two wrongful-death lawsuits have been filed in King County Superior Court over the sinking of the Alaska Ranger. The lawsuits accuse Fishing Co. of Alaska in Seattle, which owned the 189-foot head-and-gut processor, of negligence and operating an unseaworthy vessel.

If the Court finds that the owners of the vessel had privity or knowledge of negligence or unseaworthiness the Court will likely deny limitation.

Dwayne

Looks like the litigation is going strong with lots of plaintiffs and attorneys.

The article says: Some made it into life rafts, but others floated in the dark in survival suits for hours as they awaited rescue. Coast Guard rescuers picked up 20 crew members, and the Ranger's sister ship, the Alaska Warrior, picked up 22. Four of the five bodies were recovered. In a filing in U.S. District Court in Seattle earlier last week, Fishing Company of Alaska (FCA) lawyers asked a federal judge to invoke an archaic piece of maritime law — once called a "vestige of time gone by" by a federal appellate judge — that limits the amount of money that can be sought by survivors or the families of the dead to the value of the Alaska Ranger and its cargo "at the end of voyage." In this case, the voyage ended on the bottom of the Bering Sea, and the boat is worth exactly nothing. The lawsuit asks the court to find that FCA and its owners "are not liable to any extent for any loss or damage or for any claims whatsoever ... [and] liability be limited to zero in damages ... ."

28 year old Winter Garden Florida Woman, Christina Ann Tully, was Killed on Lake Geneva while wakeboarding.

This news report says waves were 2-6 feet as a storm was approaching??

This is an update and Id of the victim. This report puts wave at lower height. Tragic story.

Dwayne

30 Years As a Merchant Marine / Merchant Seaman - Wonderful Story of a Seafarer

This is a good story below:

Dwayne

After serving for over 30 years as a merchant marine, 77 year-old Vernon McLaughlin has led a remarkable life. In addition to interesting accounts of his life at sea, Mr McLaughlin has the privilege of being the first and only non-officer to have received the Admiral of the Ocean Sea - an honour previously given to captains and chief officers.

Safety and risk - And Lawyers?? -Roger Stone's wife Sues Boat Manufacturer for Defects in Boat

IT began as a tale of seamanship, survival and sacrifice. On the night of June 6, the keel separated from the hull of a racing sloop owned by Texas A&M University at Galveston, capsizing the boat. After helping two students escape from the flooded cabin, A&M safety officer Roger Stone drowned. Four students and another safety officer were rescued after floating 26 hours at sea. Now the tale continues. The main characters will be Coast Guard officials, naval architects, insurers and, inevitably, lawyers.

This is an up date story on a lawsuit brought by the family of Roger Stone for alleged defects in the boat:

Man Run Over by Boat

Cameras caught a small boat with no one at the wheel spinning out of control in the waters off Crescent Beach. "That boat's been going for about a good mile,” said one beachgoer. “It's been doing circles.”

Divers plan to enter capsized Philippine ferry

Divers will attempt to get inside the capsized ferry off the coast of the Philippines Tuesday to try to locate hundreds of missing passengers and crew, reports say. About 800 people are still missing after the Sulpico Lines ferry Princess of Stars capsized during Typhoon Fengshen on Saturday. UPDATE: Divers in the central Philippines have found bodies but no survivors inside a ferry that sank during a typhoon with more than 800 people on board. Since the vessel capsized Saturday more than 40 survivors and dozens of bodies have been recovered at sea or on nearby islands, but most passengers and crew remain missing. Douglas Bakshian reports from Manila.

Personal watercrafts rentals on the Gulf Coast

Renting a personal watercraft on vacation but visitors should be aware of the rules rental companies must follow as well as any policies particular to the area. For those below the age of 22, it might be difficult to find a company that will rent to you at all because of the safety hazard.

Death at Sea-What Consumers Of Cruise Lines Need To Know (Part Two)

This is a Injury Board Article by Jane Akre: The Bryce family believes dehydration triggered Don's heart attack and that a visit by the doctor and some IV fluids might have saved his life. Instead he died on the floor of Don and Marlene's Holland America, MS Rotterdam cabin, number 2629. Two minutes later the doctor arrived. (See Previous Story-Part One).

Surrounded by sea, sailors kept afloat with hope

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — As night slid into day and back into night, and reef fish nibbled at their skin and the Gulf of Mexico roiled around them, the five survivors of the sinking of the Cynthia Woods sailboat kept talking. Steve Conway, a retired Coast Guard commander and one of the sailboat's safety officers, told some of the sea stories he's famous for, careful to avoid "ones that involve utter calamity." Then, he told reporters Monday, he detailed the protocol for Coast Guard rescues, giving the four Texas A&M students floating alongside him in the Gulf a timeline for the help they were certain would eventually come. Those stories, that steadfast belief that they would be rescued and the jokes the five sailors tossed around as they bobbed more than 20 miles offshore kept their spirits and hopes up during 26 hours at sea.

Peer Steenburg - Missing at Sea - Coast Guard calls off search

MIAMI - Coast Guard search and rescue coordinators at Sector Miami suspended search efforts for Peer Steenburg, the master of the 36-foot sailing vessel Holo Ki Ki, Sunday night.Crews from the Coast Guard Cutter Bluefin, two HH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrews from Air Station Miami, a HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Clearwater deployed in support of Operations Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), a C-130 Hercules fixed wing aircraft crew from Air Station Clearwater, an HH-65 helicopter crew from the Royal English Airship Lars Bay and crews from the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association exhausted a 628 square mile search area since Steenburg was reported unaccounted for at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Jacksonville Florida Boating / Jet Ski collision - Victim George Rosborough identified

Boating accident victim identified Posted: Monday, May 12th, 2008 at 12:16 pm The 19-year-old killed Saturday in a boating accident in Durbin Creek has been identified as George Rosborough of Jacksonville. He was driving a personal watercraft with his girlfriend on board, 18-year-old Kimberly Anaheim, when they collided with a jet boat in a narrow bend near in northern St. Johns County, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Anaheim suffered serious injuries and was listed in critical condition. Kyle J. Broberg, 18, and his two passengers in the jet boat were not injured. They were all traveling together, the commission said.

Calif. Oil Spill Captain Charged With Felonies - video

The pilot of the container ship that spilled 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay was charged Tuesday with two felony counts of lying to Coast Guard officials about his prescription drug use.

Hong Kong rescuers to enter sunken boat with 18 Ukrainians on board

Hong Kong - Rescuers were Tuesday hoping to send divers inside a sunken tug boat with 18 Ukrainian sailors trapped on board, three days after it collided with a freighter off Hong Kong. Detailed plans of the Polish-made vessel have been obtained by the rescue team which hopes to be able to send divers in to look for survivors or the bodies of victims. Hope has virtually disappeared of finding anyone alive in the boat which sank 35 metres to the seabed after colliding with a freighter off Hong Kong on Saturday night. Divers aided by a large team of rescuers have been swimming to the vessel and rapping on its hull since Sunday morning but have so far detected no signs of life.

Still No Justice For USS Liberty??

Dave Gibson March 16, 2008 On June 8, 1967, the surveillance ship USS Liberty was on duty in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula, when it was attacked by Israeli forces. Though the ship was clearly marked, Israel claimed the act of war to simply be a case of "mistaken identity." Despite the loss of 34 American sailors, there has never been a meaningful investigation into the attack.

I have read about this incident many times. Any feedback or comments would be welcome.

Dwayne

Intrepid Reliance Tanker - crewman falls and is injured - Galveston Texas Coast Guard Medevacs man for help

HOUSTON - The Coast Guard medevaced a 37-year-old man from a tanker approximately 15 miles south of Galveston, Texas, today.A watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at 10:45 a.m. from the captain of the tanker Intrepid Reliance, reporting that a crewmember needed immediate medical attention. The crewmember had fallen from the bridge of the tanker to the main deck, a distance of 43 feet. The Coast Guard launched an HH-65C Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Houston to medevac the man. The rescue helicopter crew arrived at the tanker and hoisted the injured man. At about 12:40 p.m. the helicopter landed at Schole’s Airport in Galveston, Texas, where EMS was waiting to bring the injured man to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Coast Guard Cautions Against Illegal Charter Boats

BALTIMORE - The Coast Guard cautions passengers, who pay to go fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, to avoid boats that do not have licensed captains or has not been inspected by the Coast Guard.The Coast Guard advises passengers to ask boat captains to show their original Coast Guard issued license. If the boat is carrying more than six passengers, it is required to be inspected by the Coast Guard and the Certificate of Inspection should be displayed in an area visible to passengers.

Don't make the mistake of going out with an unlicensed skipper. It may cost you or your family your lives.

Dwayne

100 Yard Approach to Naval Vessels

Do not approach within 100 yards of any U.S. naval vessel. If you need to pass within 100 yards of a U.S. naval vessel in order to ensure a safe passage in accordance with the Navigation Rules, you must contact the U.S. naval vessel or the Coast Guard escort vessel on VHF-FM channel 16.

Patanela - Message in a Bottle - From the Boaters TV - Sailboat sinking mystery

This is a video clip from the Boaters TV about a sailing vessel that sank many years ago. She was the Patanela. If you have any information about this I am sure the families and friends would appreciate your help. Dwayne

New Coast Guard Boat

Washington (Aug. 8, 2007)- An artist's rendition of the Coast Guard Response Boat Medium (RB-M). On June 21, 2006, the Coast Guard Awarded a Contract to Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) for the detailed design and production of the 45-ft. RB-M with the goal of building approximately 180 45-ft. RB-M's to replace the 41ft UTB's and other non-standard UTM's at stations. The award was the culmination of an extensive effort to provide the Coast Guard with the right boat to meet current and future mission activities. The detailed design is complete and on June 28, 2007 the keel was laid for the first 45-ft. RB-M marking the start of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). Illustration courtesy of Marinette Marine Corp.

Resolve Towing (Resolve Pioneer) Medical Evacuation Key West by Coast Guard

MIAMI — The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 49-year-old man from the 190-foot motor vessel Resolve Pioneer Monday morning about 13 miles south of Key West, Fla. Search-and-rescue coordinators at Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla., received a call from a Resolve Pioneer crewmember at 4 a.m. Monday requesting a medical evacuation for a crewmember who suffered a facial laceration when a towing line parted. See Coast Guard Video here.

Atago had 12 minutes to act / Destroyer reportedly spotted fishing boat earlier than stated

A crew member on lookout duty on the Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyer Atago saw a light believed to be that of a fishing boat 12 minutes before the two vessels collided, it was learned Wednesday. However, it also was learned that the radar crew of the 7,750-ton Atago did not notice the Seitoku Maru prior to the collision, according to the Defense Ministry.

Five injured in boating accident in Florida

LEE COUNTY: After a boating accident, five men on a business trip from Fort Wayne, Indiana were ejected and all of them had to paddle to shore on a boat's engine hood from the Monroe Channel.The boaters ran into a pole out on the water. Emergency workers say they probably hit the pole because it was not lit. Officials on the scene added the men actually had to paddle for over two hours, while sitting on top of the engine hatch, just to get back to shore.

Fatal boat accident is a mystery - unlit channel marker

Two men in a boat that slammed into a marker buoy in Victoria's southeast were killed instantly by the force of the crash, Victoria police say. The impact punched a large hole in the bow of the 5.4 metre runabout, which was taking on water circling under its own throttle when it was found at Lakes Entrance just after midnight, a spokesman said. Authorities say it is still a mystery how the two men, aged 35 and 36, failed to notice the buoy which was well marked on marine and boating maps.

Unlit channel markers can be very hazardous. Many are not required to be lit.

Dwayne

Gasparilla Boaters Beware; Officers Out to Scuttle Drunken Pirates

TAMPA, Fla. - More than 50 law-enforcement officers, including crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department, will partner to keep local waterways safe during the upcoming Gasparilla Day celebration. Law-enforcement officers will provide educational information to boaters, conduct safety inspections afloat and target boaters operating watercraft under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Keep it clean.

Dwayne

Coast Guard Charges Tug Captain in McTeer Bridge Allision

From Coast Guard News

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Coast Guard completed its preliminary investigation into the allision between the crane barge towed by the Sara Kaitlin and the McTeer Bridge near Beaufort, S.C., April 26, 2007. The Coast Guard charged Captain Wright Gres, the operator of the Sara Kaitlin at the time of the accident, with negligence and misconduct. Specifically, the Coast Guard charged that the Captain: (1) did not take due care to ensure the boom could safely pass beneath the bridge, (2) operated beyond the scope of his license and (3) failed to immediately report the collision, as required by Coast Guard regulations. As part of the settlement agreement approved by an Administrative Law Judge, Gres agreed to a six month suspension of his license and will attend a Coast Guard approved Bridge Resource Management class.

Fallen Coast Guardsmen Remembered

 

Fallen Coast Guardsmen Remembered.

Crown Princess - NTSB: Crew to Blame for Tilting Ship

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Improper training and bad steering by a Princess Cruises ship's second officer caused the vessel to tilt suddenly in 2006, injuring almost 300 people, the National Transportation Safety Board determined Thursday. The NTSB said the Crown Princess' captain and crew failed to realize how fast they were going in shallow water, which threw the ship off course. The second officer disengaged autopilot to correct it, then steered the wrong way, the board determined

Jacksonville Officer Nearly Killed in Crash Wins Settlement

By Kristin Smith First Coast News JACKSONVILLE, FL -- One of the JSO officers hurt in a Super Bowl boat crash has now reached a settlement with the state. James Burnet was helping provide security for the game in Jacksonville in 2005. His boat crashed into concrete pilings along the Fuller Warren bridge, leaving him with a broken neck and severe facial injuries.

Iranian Boats Approach USN Ships

BAHRAIN (NNS) -- Following a routine transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Jan. 6, three U.S. Navy ships operating in international waters in the Persian Gulf were approached by five Iranian small boats that demonstrated irresponsible confrontational behavior near the U.S. ships, according to the Navy.

video of incident here: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4104881