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Maritime News

The New Orleans Jones Act attorneys at The Young Firm represent injured maritime workers. We post summaries of news stories about maritime law and accidents that affect seamen in the Gulf Mexico and beyond. If you've been injured while working at sea, The Young Firm has the resources to help you. Call 866-938-6113 to learn more.

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Maritime Law

Woman Rescued from Barge Accident on Missouri River
Jan 09, 2012
Colleen Bowen, 47, was seriously injured on December 8, 2011, when she became entangled in the drive shaft of a towboat while working for Western Contracting Corporation on the Missouri River near Sioux City, Iowa. According to her husband, Doug, her coat was apparently caught in the machinery, but he did not know how or why it happened.

Doug Bowen said that his wife, a mother of two, “ stands four feet 11 inches tall, but she thinks she’s Hercules.” Because her work on the river requires long hours, Bowen’s husband said he had not seen her for three days.

The captain of the towboat called 911 when the accident happened and then pushed his front barge into the riverbank to allow the rescue team to board.

Rescuers from the Bellevue Fire Department said the boat was connected to several barges. They eventually tied a rope from a tree to a barge to get onto the river and then raced across the barge decks to free Bowen from the drive shaft. She reportedly suffered a broken jaw and fractured neck. She was taken to Creighton University Medical Center.

The New Orleans based Young Firm wishes Colleen Bowen a quick and complete recovery.
Woman Killed, Daughter Injured in Cruise Ship Related Tragedy
Dec 23, 2011
On November 15, 2011, Bernice Kraftcheck, 60, was killed when her Celebrity Cruise Line parasailing adventure ended in a fall in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her daughter, Danielle Haese, 34, was hospitalized with serious injuries after the incident.

Following the deadly accident, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines suspended all of their parasailing activities. In addition, Carnival has stopped offering its St. Thomas parasailing option.

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating to determine what caused the women to fall and if negligence played a part. The FBI also responded because it was unclear whether crime was involved.

The women were embarking on a seven-night cruise ship trip to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten onboard the Celebrity Eclipse. No cause of death has yet been determined.

Wind gusts and squalls were present when the accident occurred, which may have been a factor. If it turns out that negligence was either a contributing or main factor in the tragedy, then legal recourse will be available, but no determinations have been made at this time.

The Young Firm in New Orleans extends sympathy to the family and friends of the victims.
Shrimper Killed Off the Florida Gulf Coast
Dec 03, 2011
A shrimper reportedly died on November 6, 2011, off Hernando Beach in Tampa, Florida. Robert T. Parker, 58, fell overboard into the Gulf of Mexico, and responders got involved at about 1:00 a.m.
Parker was brought ashore at the Hernando Beach Boat Ramp. He was taken to Oak Hill Hospital but was later pronounced dead. A spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which assisted in the attempted rescue, said, "He lost his balance and went over the port side. He was up on the bow, where it bounces the most."

Apparently high winds and a choppy sea contributed to the accident. The boat owner and operator, Norman Soucy, 37, says he tried to rescue Parker. He used the hydraulic system on the boat to bring Parker aboard and sent a distress call out to the US Coast Guard. But his efforts were unsuccessful as he found his deckhand unresponsive.

The small shrimping vessel was about three miles out to sea, which may qualify Parker's survivors for compensation under the Death on the High Seas Act.

A fellow Hernando Beach shrimp boat co-owner, Kathryn Biren, said that the conditions were very nasty and that "It was not a good place for a small vessel to be."

The accident was under investigation at the time of this report.

The maritime lawyers at The Young Firm in New Orleans offer their sincere condolences to Parker's family.
Milwaukee Cargo Ship Accident Claims Worker’s Life
Dec 03, 2011
A fatal accident claimed the life of a Superior, Wisconsin man who was unloading a ship docked in Milwaukee on November 12, 2011. Ronald L. Hackensmith, 61, was working three decks below main deck when the conveyer belt he was unloading caught his arm and severed it at the shoulder, causing his death.

According to ship logs, Hackensmith, who was working alone, spotted a hydraulic oil leak. He asked for a shutdown and restart of the conveyer belt. He then requested another shutdown. Although there is no record of his requesting another restart, the mechanism was started again and the accident occurred.

The cargo ship accident occurred aboard the SS St. Mary’s Challenger, owned by Port City Steamship, which was delivering cement to ports on the Great Lakes. The accident is being investigated, and no official cause has been determined.

Hackensmith’s family and co-workers remember him as a hard-working man who got into the shipping business through his love for the water, which he developed during his time as a Naval officer.

The Louisiana maritime legal team at The Young Firm would like to express their sincere condolences to the family of Ronald Hackensmith.
Danger! Gulf of Mexico Workers at Risk Before and After Hurricanes
Sep 11, 2011
Hurricane season brings even more danger than usual to Gulf of Mexico maritime workers. And since the devastation of Katrina, hurricane preparedness and safety are foremost on oilrig and gas workers' minds. As tropical storm Lee approached the Gulf in September 2011, the National Hurricane Center advised evacuations of both oil and gas workers from 16 oilrigs and 169 platforms.
While these evacuations may cost the production companies money, it is hoped that getting offshore workers to safety early will save lives. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) estimates that about 33% of production of natural gas and almost 50% of current production of oil was "shut in" before Lee arrived.

BOEMRE officials plan to inspect the offshore facilities after the storm has passed. Any undamaged facilities will be operating again right away. Damaged ones will remain closed until repairs are made. Workers making these repairs face perhaps even more risk than from the storm itself as divers, mechanics and many others rush to bring production back on line. For example, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused major damages in the oil industry. Rigs were set adrift, production platforms were toppled and pipelines ruptured.

It may well be that hurricane damage is unavoidable in the face of a powerful tropical storm or hurricane. But worker injuries are avoidable. OSHA and BOEMRE both provide guidelines for preparing for and recovering from storm damage.

If you are an offshore worker and have been injured in hurricane-related work, the Jones Act offers powerful rights, including the right to sue your employer for negligence. You need experience and expertise to help you get full compensation. Contact The Young Firm in New Orleans right away at (866) 938-6113 for a consultation. We know maritime law and deliver results to our clients.
Are You Safe Working on a Gulf Coast Shrimp Boat?
Jul 30, 2011
55 Gulf Coast seamen died between 2000 and 2009, according to a recent National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health study. Of those, 29 were thrown overboard and not wearing life jackets. Another 12 were injured on board, often while working the winches used to haul the nets.

Coast Guard officials have brought these facts to their training classes; yet many shrimp boaters continue to live and work unaware of how to do so more safely. Only about 500 of the thousands of Gulf Coast fishermen have attended the classes.
One of the main causes of death has been the fact that many workers do not speak English. In an emergency, they tend to grab their cell phones and call family. Unfortunately, family cannot respond as quickly as the Coast Guard. Trainers emphasize the importance of using the radio and educating non-English speakers on how to do this.

U.S. Coast Guard commercial fishing vessel safety examiner Gilbert Gallardo says, "These fishermen think they're made of steel, nothing can happen to them." Unfortunately, as the research proves, this could not be further from the truth.
The maritime lawyers at The Young Firm want to emphasize the importance of maritime safety in all aspects of Gulf Coast offshore work. However, sometimes lack of foresight on the part of boat owners and employers results in injury or even death. In these cases, our attorneys' expertise has helped many victims of negligence. Call them with questions TOLL FREE at (866) 938-6113.
Distracted Tug Boat Operator Blamed For Deadly Tour Boat Accident
Jun 21, 2011
Last July, two Hungarian tourists were killed when a tug pushed a 250-foot barge into a stranded tourist vessel on the Delaware River. Today, National Transportation Safety Board officials have blamed the accident on operator distraction. The NSTB warns that distraction is becoming a growing problem at sea, just as it is on land and in air.

At the time of the offshore accident, the tugboat's first mate, Matt Devlin, was navigating from the lower wheelhouse of the tug where visibility is reduced. Devlin's child was ill and he was focused on his phone and his laptop. He did not see the stranded duck boat and did not respond to the duck's radio calls.

But, he wasn't the only operator who was distracted. A deckhand on the duck boat was texting on his cellphone and failed to notice the impending accident. Both men were violating their companies' rules banning the use of electronic devices while working.
The NTSB says this is just one of a growing number of maritime accidents caused by distracted vessel operators.

If you were injured in a maritime accident caused by operator distraction, contact the New Orleans maritime injury attorneys at The Young Firm, 866-938-6113.
Barge Worker Dies In Mississippi River Accident
Jun 21, 2011
Officials are investigating the workplace death of a barge worker who fell from a barge into the Mississippi River.

The offshore accident occurred early on the morning of Tuesday, June 21. Fifty-two-year-old Larry Hartford, an employee of Zito Fleeting LLC, was working on a barge at 3100 River Road in Old Jefferson near Causeway Boulevard and River Road. He fell overboard sometime before 7:45 a.m. and 8 a.m. as strong winds and heavy rains swept through the area.

At 8 a.m., co-workers noticed that Hartford missing. They searched the area and found him in the water. The co-workers pulled Hartford out and took him to Ochsner Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Coast Guard officials are investigating the accident. The investigators are trying to determine if the maritime death was caused by bad weather and whether any maritime safety rules were violated.

Victims of accidents on the Mississippi River are protected under maritime law. For additional information, contact the Louisiana maritime injury lawyers at The Young Firm, 866-938-6113.
Boat Capsizes, Four Alabama Fishermen Rescued After 22 Hours
May 26, 2011
Fishermen face many dangers. When a boat capsizes, the results are often disastrous. However, this Gulf of Mexico fishing accident story has a happy ending.

Four missing Alabama fishermen have been found alive. They survived more than 22 hours in the Gulf of Mexico by clinging to their capsized vessel. They were rescued on Thursday, May 26 by the Orange Beach Marine Police.

Three men from Orange Beach and a hired boat captain left Perdido Pass, Alabama on Wednesday morning to do some bottom fishing about 15 to 18 miles offshore. While they were fishing, their 28 foot fishing boat began to take on water. It lost power and capsized. The captain was able to grab some lifejackets from the overturned vessel and the men spent more than 22 hours holding on to the vessel to avoid drowning.

On Thursday, a concerned neighbor noticed that they did not come home. The neighbor went to the Orange Beach Marine Patrol office and requested help. The marine police stated a search, but believed that the chances of finding the men were low.

Fortunately, rescuers caught a glimse of an orange life jacket. They went toward the wreckage and found the men exhausted and dehydrated and ready to be rescued.

Two of the men were taken to South Baldwin Regional Medical Center. The other two were able to recover at home.
Two Vessels Collide In Gulf of Mexico; Three Missing
May 23, 2011
Working offshore is dangerous. The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for three people who are missing after two vessels collided in the Gulf of Mexico.

The maritime accident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18 in the Gulf of Mexico, near Cat and Ship Islands about 8 miles off the coast of Gulfport, Mississippi. The three men were aboard the Sandy Point, a 163-foot fishing vessel. The fishing boat that with the Eurus London, a 660-foot container ship.

The fishing boat sank in about 25 feet of water after hitting the larger container ship. It had 16 people aboard; thirteen were rescued. A pilot boat recovered 11 fishermen and took them to the fishing vessel Frosty Morn. Two others made it to the Eurus London on their own. Three crew members are still missing. Search and rescue efforts are underway to find the seamen.

Update May 23: The bodies of the three missing men were found over the weekend. Autopsies show that all three men drowned. The maritime attorney at The Young Firm would like to offer our condolences to the families of Rhoderick Watkins, Thomas L. Moore, and Lindsey Tucker. We are very sorry for your loss.