Seattle Injury Lawyer Blog

The Coast Guard assisted two crew members after respond to a 48-foot fishing vessel that allided with the north side of the north jetty at the entrance to Yaquina Bay, near Newport, Ore., on Sunday, July 22, 2012.

Coast Guard Group North Bend, located in North Bend, Ore., received a report at approximately 10:50 p.m., stating the 48-foot fishing vessel Two Mikes had run aground on the ocean side of the north jetty with two people on board.

Group North Bend launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew and a land unit from Station Yaquina Bay, in Newport.

A former Washington state passenger-only ferry capsized July 18 in high winds between Tanzania and Zanzibar, a popular tourist destination. Stormy conditions hampered rescue efforts Thursday, as officials said the death toll had risen to at least 31. The Red Cross said at least 146 people had already been rescued. The government said more than 100 passengers were still missing a day after the MV Skagit capsized, but hopes were fading given the challenging conditions. “Search operations continue, but it is now almost impossible survivors will be found,” Zanzibar police spokesman Mohamed Mhina said. “The weather was very bad, there were big waves and strong wind.”

The MV Skagit left Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania, on Wednesday en route to the island of Zanzibar. Heavy winds caused the boat to lose control and flip over just a few miles short of Zanzibar’s main port. Survivors said the ferry was overloaded. The Red Cross said the ferry was certified to carry 250 people but may have been carrying more than 280 – among them, more than 30 children. Survivors also said the crew gave them no evacuation instructions, and there was only one exit from the cabin of the vessel, trapping many passengers inside. Hamza Kabelwa, Tanzania’s head of meteorology, told the BBC that vessels had been warned not to make the crossing because of rough seas.

The Skagit was formerly a passenger-only vessel between Seattle and Vashon Island, but Washington State Ferries discontinued its foot-ferry routes and later sold the Skagit in 2011 for use in Tanzania. The MV Skagit and MV Kalama, built in 1989, were taken out of service in 2009 and eventually sold together for a total $400,000 to Scope Community Consultants of Port Coquitlam, B.C. The boats are 112 feet long and were supposed to last 25 years – so the Skagit would be in its final years of normal operating life.

About Seabourn Cruise Line.

Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It operates a fleet of six cruise ships, including the SEABOURN PRIDE, SEABOURN SPIRIT, SEABOURN LEGEND, SEABOURN ODYSSEY, SEABOURN SOJOURN, and SEABOURN QUEST. The vessels travel all around the world in ports in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

The Cruise Contract – Provide Notice within 6 Months.

About Windstar Cruises.

Windstar Cruises began operations in 1984 and is notable in the cruise industry for its computer-controlled luxury sailing ships. The company operates the cruise ships WINDSTAR, WIND SPIRIT, and WINDSURF. These vessels explore the hidden harbors and secluded coves of some of the world’s most sought-after destinations. These luxurious and intimate ships cruise to nearly 50 nations, calling at 100 ports throughout Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. The company sails two ships that carry just 148 guests each and a third ship that carries 312 guests.

The Cruise Contract – Provide Notice within 6 Months.

The Coast Guard received a call at about 7:30 p.m. yesterday from a woman stating that a 23-foot pleasure craft had run aground at Green Hill Beach, R.I. with no one on board. The Coast Guard initiated a search and found the 51-year-old man approximately where he went overboard. The Coast Guard crew transported him to EMS for further transfer to a local hospital for treatment. The man was able to confirm that he was the only person on board.

This is the season for recreational boating, and with that come accidents and injuries like this. There are many causes for recreational boating injuries-faulty equipment, operator negligence, bad weather, unmarked hazards, and countless others. If you are injured in a recreational boating accident, it is often worth consulting a maritime injury lawyer to find out if you have a claim.

On July 7, 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard responded to an anhydrous ammonia leak on board the F/V EXCELLENCE while the fishing vessel was docked in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.  According to reports, the vessel had been leaking ammonia from a one-inch pipe on the low pressure side of the refrigeration system.  Because of the potential hazard posed to the community and the crew, the Coast Guard established a 500 foot exclusionary zone around the vessel, evacuated the crew, and had the vessel towed away from the port to a buoy.

Ammonia is a colorless, highly irritating gas that will cause burning of the eyes, nose, and throat even in small amounts.  With higher doses of exposure, coughing or choking may occur and deaths have occurred due to swollen throats or chemical burns to the lungs.  Eye exposure to concentrated gas or liquid can cause serious corneal burns or even blindness.  The severity of the symptoms from ammonia exposure usually depends on the degree of exposure.

If you have ongoing symptoms associated with an ammonia exposure, you should contact an experienced maritime lawyer to explain your options.  Exposure to ammonia can lead to long-term complications, including occupational asthma.  Our law firm obtained a verdict in excess of $1.1 million dollars in 2008 in King County Superior Court for three workers who developed occupational asthma from a chemical exposure on a Washington State ferry.  This is believed to be one of the largest verdicts for occupational asthma in the country.    

The Honorable Marsha J. Pechman issued an award on July 27, 2012 finding that the Fishing Company of Alaska was negligent for injuries sustained by Ransom Honeycutt while serving as a deckhand on board the F/V ALASKA RANGER on August 1, 2007.  Honeycutt was injured as he jumped off the net over a 39-inch wall on the trawl deck and landed on a large strap out on the deck.  Judge Pechman found that FCA was negligent in leaving the strap on the outboard side of the wall where deckhands were known to jump.  Judge Pechman awarded damages of $103,213 plus pre-judgment interest for Honeycutt’s knee injury, which included an ACL tear.  Plaintiff was represented by Richard J. Davies of Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC. Defendant was represented by Michael Barcott of Holmes Weddle & Barcott, P.C.