Admiralty & Maritime Law
NTSB Thinks Lost Rudder Led to Fatal ‘Cemetery Sea’ Fishing Boat Accident
Posted Sep 30, 2009, 12:03 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board think a lost rudder caused a fishing boat to flood and sink in the Bering Sea off the coastline of Alaska last year, killing five of the 47 crew members aboard in an accident that was detailed in an ABA Journal cover story about maritime law practice.
A written report by the NTSB will be forthcoming following a hearing today, reports the Associated Press. The vessel itself couldn't be examined, however, because it hasn't been recovered.
The sinking of the Alaska Ranger resulted in a U.S. Coast Guard safety warning about controllable-pitch propellers, the news agency notes.
Earlier coverage:
ABA Journal: "The Cemetery Sea"