Posts by Latti Associates LLC
Carolyn M. Latti to Chair Admiralty Law Section of the AAJ
Carolyn M. Latti to Chair Admiralty Law Section of the AAJ Latti Associates LLC is proud to announce that partner Carolyn M. Latti is now chair of the Admiralty Law Section of the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Her appointment was made official at the AAJ 2012 Annual Convention, which was held in Chicago from…
Read MoreTanzania Ferry Tragedy Highlights the Danger of Overcrowding
This week we have been talking about two recent ferry accidents: a May 7 incident involving the M/V MATANUSKA, which caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the Ocean Beauty Seafoods building in Petersburg, Alaska, and the tragic sinking of the M/V SKAGIT off the coast of Zanzibar on July 18, which killed…
Read MoreThree Charged in Deadly Tanzania Ferry Accident
Ferry accidents are often the result of human error. For instance, as we discussed on Monday, the Alaska Department of Transportation recently determined a maneuvering error lead to the May 7 collision between the M/V MATANUSKA and the Ocean Beauty Seafoods dock in Petersburg, Alaska. Just days after Alaskan officials concluded their investigation, a Tanzanian…
Read MoreInvestigators Determine Captain Error Caused Alaska Ferry Accident
The M/V MATANUSKA crashed into the Ocean Beauty Seafoods dock in Petersburg, Alaska. According to a recently-concluded investigation by the Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT), a maneuvering error made in strong currents is to blame for the May 7 collision. Captain M. Scott Macaulay, who has been working with the Alaska Marine Highway System for…
Read MoreDid Excessive Speed Contribute to Deadly Lake Lanier Crash?
This week we have been discussing a deadly drunk boating accident that occurred in June on Lake Lanier, Ga. Although the main factor was likely alcohol use, excessive speed may also have contributed to the deaths of Jake Prince, 9, and Griffin Prince, 13. As reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, “a center-console fishing boat which was traveling at…
Read MoreLake Lanier Tragedy Reminds Us of the Dangers of Drunk Boating
As illustrated by Monday’s post about a deadly drunk boating accident in Georgia, boating under the influence is extremely dangerous. In fact, according to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), alcohol was the leading factor in 16 percent of recreational boating deaths last year. The family and friends of 9-year-old Jake Prince and 13-year-old Griffin Prince…
Read MoreTwo Brothers Killed in Drunk Boating Accident on Lake Lanier
At about 10:30 p.m. on June 18, a fishing vessel travelling at a high rate of speed on Lake Lanier, Ga., struck a pontoon boat with 13 people aboard, resulting in the deaths of two brothers. Jake Prince, 9, died at the scene of the crash. Griffin Prince, 13, was thrown overboard by the impact,…
Read MoreFishing Vessel Catches Fire
On July 16, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued four fishermen following a fire on the 79-foot F/V MISS INGRID LOUIS. The incident occurred about three miles east of Nassau Sound near Jacksonville, Fla. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. According to Captain Willie Allen, the four men had gone to bed around…
Read MoreCommercial Fishing Vessel Sent Back to Port for Safety Violations
Commercial Fishing Vessel Sent Back to Port for Safety Violations Last Tuesday, a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement team escorted the F/V BRYNN TAMARA to port in Metlakatla, Alaska, after discovering several safety violations during a random safety check. According to a Coast Guard press release, the lone fisherman aboard the 24-foot vessel “did not…
Read MoreCOSTA CONCORDIA Captain Admits He Was “Distracted”
COSTA CONCORDIA Captain Admits He Was “Distracted” July 13 marked six months since the COSTA CONCORDIA capsized near the Italian island of Giglio, resulting in the deaths of 32 people, including two Americans. Island residents and victims’ relatives offered prayers, while ships sounded their horns in honor of those lost. Church bells rang out at…
Read MoreRecreational Boating: Ten Tips to Stay Safe
According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Coast Guard, there were 4,588 recreational boating accidents last year, resulting in 758 deaths, 3,081 injuries and property damage totaling approximately $52 million. Owner and operator negligence is to blame for a significant number of recreational boating accidents. In fact, the U.S. Coast Guard points to the following…
Read MoreBoat Propellers Maim and Kill
Boat Propellers Maim and Kill According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were 197 recreational boating accidents last year involving a person being struck by a propeller, resulting in 192 injuries and 35 deaths. Just recently, a 14-year-old girl was seriously injured in a propeller accident off Hog Island near Orleans, Mass. After falling off…
Read MoreBoat Propeller Severs Teen’s Leg
Boat Propeller Severs Teen’s Leg Last Tuesday, 15-year-old Abby Mueller lost part of her leg in a recreational boating accident on Kezar Lake in Lovell, Maine. She was riding on the bow of a 24-foot motorboat when it struck a submerged rock, sending her flying over the front of the boat. The boat then ran…
Read MoreCoast Guard Suspends Search for Alaskan Fisherman
Coast Guard Suspends Search for Alaskan Fisherman The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search last week for a fisherman who fell overboard from the 39-foot F/V ELEANOR S on the morning of July 4. The victim, identified as 63-year-old Richard Boyce of Haines, was attempting to remove fishing gear stuck in the vessel’s propeller when…
Read MoreNewport Crab Fisherman Presumed Dead
In the early morning hours on July 3, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued three crab fishermen when the F/V SOUND LEADER sank off the coast of Oregon. Coast Guard crews searched for a missing fourth person until about 1:15 p.m., when the search was called off “due to the impossibility of survival resulting from the…
Read MoreThree Children Die in Oyster Bay Yacht Accident
A group of family members and friends were on their way home from a fireworks display on July 4 when their 34-foot yacht, the CANDI ONE, capsized in Oyster Bay. Three children, ages 8, 11 and 12, died in the accident, and 24 other people were rescued. According to NBC 4 New York, Nassau County…
Read MoreFisherman Injures Hand While Hauling Gear
On May 2, the U.S. Coast Guard medically evacuated a 47-year-old fisherman who severely injured his hand while hauling gear on the F/V SANDY ROSE about 12 miles south of Jonesport, Maine. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England received a 9-1-1 relay around 9:25 a.m. from the 41-foot fishing vessel and immediately launched…
Read MoreFisherman Suffers Facial Injury
A 46-year-old man was airlifted from a New Bedford, Mass., fishing vessel on May 21 after being hit by gear and suffering an injury to his face. The F/V OSPREY was about 98 miles east of Cape Cod when a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted the injured man from the vessel. He was flown to…
Read MoreNew Bedford Fisherman Injured By Parted Wire
On May 9 at 7:52 a.m., watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England received word that a crewmember aboard the F/V EXPLORER had sustained a head injury from a parted wire. The Coast Guard immediately launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat to assist the injured fisherman, and he was medically evacuated two miles west…
Read MoreTugboat Capsizes in New York Harbor
On April 6, the M/V KATHERINE G. capsized as it was preparing to transport a 60-ton construction crane off Liberty Island. According to NY1 News, the crane and two crewmembers fell into the water, while four others scrambled to the top of the overturned vessel. The tugboat was assisting with interior renovations at the Statue…
Read MoreFisherman Suffers Major Electrical Shock
On June 8, the Coast Guard airlifted a 43-year-old fisherman from the F/V CAPE HORN in the Bering Sea to Dillingham, Alaska, after he suffered heart complications from a major electrical shock. According to media reports, the unidentified man was working on the 145-foot vessel’s electrical switchboard when he received a 480-volt jolt. The ship…
Read MoreBarge Capsizes, Workers Forced to Jump
Barge Capsizes, Workers Forced to Jump In April, workers with APAC Construction and a tugboat operator were performing repairs on a bridge in Smithville, Mo., when their barge and boat capsized, forcing them to jump into frigid waters. According to local media reports, the workers were in Smithville Lake for up to 15 minutes. A…
Read MoreFishing Boat Sinks Off New Jersey Shore After Six Men Rescued
On May 31, six men set out on a deep-sea fishing excursion aboard the F/V SOUTHERN COMFORT. Moments in, the vessel ran aground and began taking on water. According to The Express-Times, Captain Albert G. Stork was preparing to take the 38-foot vessel beyond Barnegat Light Inlet’s north jetty of rocks when it struck a…
Read MoreM/V WENATCHEE Crew Saves Woman’s Life
On May 26, the crew of the M/V WENATCHEE, operated by Washington State Ferries, responded to a “man overboard” situation in the frigid Puget Sound. According to an account by Mate Dan Twohig, here’s what happened. At 9:15 p.m., two teenage girls notified Mate Twohig and Captain Steve Hopkins that somebody had jumped off the…
Read MoreSunken Fishing Vessel Raised from Penn Cove Amidst Environmental Concerns
In mid-May, the F/V DEEP SEA caught fire and sank in Washington’s Penn Cove. According to local media reports, the vessel had been illegally anchored there for months. Penn Cove is known worldwide for its quality mussels and shellfish. After the 128-foot vessel sank, it began leaking an estimated two gallons of diesel fuel per…
Read MoreNegligence Can Cause a Ship to Go Down in Inclement Weather
Modern technology has allowed for shipwreck-proof designs and advance warnings about dangerous sea conditions, but human error can render such progress meaningless. In 2002, for example, the Senegalese state-run passenger ferry M/V LE JOOLA sank off the coast of Gambia during a storm, killing more than 1,800 people. Although bad weather may have directly caused…
Read MoreCome Join Our Firm at the Commercial Marine Expo – Wednesday, June 13 – Thursday, June 14
Come Join Our Firm at the Commercial Marine Expo – Wednesday, June 13 – Thursday, June 14 Latti Associates LLC is a proud sponsor of the Commercial Marine Expo today and tomorrow – Wednesday, June 13 – Thursday, June 14. The Expo is at the State Pier in New Bedford, and attendance is free! Our…
Read MoreBad Weather and Bad Decisions Responsible for Papua New Guinea Ferry Accident
Bad Weather and Bad Decisions Responsible for Papua New Guinea Ferry Accident On Feb. 2, a Papua New Guinea ferry sank in the Vitiaz Strait. Initial reports said the M/V RABAUL QUEEN had about 350 people aboard; however, recent reports indicate the vessel may have carried as many as 400 or 500, far exceeding its…
Read MoreWhen Cruise Ships Encounter Bad Weather
People often picture cruises as being nothing but clear skies, calm waters and good times. However, cruise ships can encounter rough seas and stormy weather just like any other vessel. In 2010, for instance, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship got caught in a Mediterranean winter storm. The Brilliance of the Seas survived the hurricane-force winds…
Read MoreCosta’s Forum Selection Clause
Costa’s Forum Selection Clause The COSTA CONCORDIA disaster took the world by surprise. Not only did this tragic cruise ship accident shake many people’s confidence in cruise ship safety, it also thrust the issue of forum selection clauses into the mainstream. Like all major cruise lines, Costa Cruises has a forum selection clause in its…
Read MoreAre Cruise Ticket Forum Selection Clauses Always Enforceable?
Are Cruise Ticket Forum Selection Clauses Always Enforceable? Cruise tickets typically contain a forum selection clause, which stipulates where claims against the cruise line can be filed. For example, Carnival Cruise Lines includes in its ticket contract a section entitled “Jurisdiction, Venue, Arbitration and Time Limits for Claims.” This clause states that claims must be…
Read MoreForum Selection Clauses in Cruise Tickets
Not all cruise passengers read the fine print included with their ticket package. One clause that all passengers should know about is the forum selection clause. If you sustain an injury onboard a cruise ship, or if your loved one dies in a cruise ship accident, the forum selection clause dictates where you can file…
Read MoreCOSTA CONCORDIA Performers File $200 Million Lawsuit
COSTA CONCORDIA Performers File $200 Million Lawsuit Four Hungarian musicians and dancers who were onboard the COSTA CONCORDIA cruise ship when it capsized off the coast of Italy on Jan. 13 have filed a federal lawsuit in White Plains, N.Y., against Costa Cruises and its parent corporation Carnival Cruise Lines. The performers were part of…
Read MoreSalvage Experts Outline Plan to Raise COSTA CONCORDIA
On May 18, salvage experts revealed their plan for how to raise the wrecked COSTA CONCORDIA in one piece. Thirty-two people died in the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster, including two Americans. Since Jan. 13, when the 4,200-passenger cruise ship capsized after striking a reef, the COSTA CONCORDIA has continued to sit in environmentally sensitive waters near…
Read MorePrincess Cruises Sued for Failing to Aid Stranded Fishermen
The sole survivor of the F/V FIFTY CENTS, which remained adrift in the Pacific Ocean for 28 days, has filed a civil lawsuit against Princess Cruises over allegations that one of its ships failed to aid the three men stranded aboard the disabled boat. Although Adrian Vasquez, 18, was eventually rescued near the Galapagos Islands,…
Read MoreReporting a Recreational Boating Accident
Federal law requires that boating accidents be reported if: A person dies A person disappears from the vessel and the circumstances suggest injury or death A person has sustained an injury requiring medical treatment beyond simple first aid Property damage totals $2,000 or more (some states require reporting of lower amounts) The boat has been…
Read MoreAs ‘Click It or Ticket’ Campaign Continues for Drivers, Boaters Are Encouraged to Wear Life Jackets
As ‘Click It or Ticket’ Campaign Continues for Drivers, Boaters Are Encouraged to Wear Life Jackets Just as seatbelts can save lives in the event of a car accident, life jackets can save lives in the event of a recreational boating accident. In 2011, 758 people died in recreational boating accidents in the United States,…
Read MoreTugboat Captain Found Dead in Boat Near Buzzards Bay; Coast Guard Investigation Underway
On Wednesday morning, the Coast Guard received a call for a boat taking on the water in the area of Hog Island Channel near Buzzards Bay. The bay was extremely choppy that morning, and upon arriving on the scene, authorities discovered a 29-foot towing boat almost completely submerged in the water. Tragically, Captain John Redler…
Read MoreWashington Couple Assists With Boating Accident Rescue
While on their way to Jetty Island for an afternoon picnic last Monday, Brent and Sarah Schilling heard a man in the waters of Lake Stevens calling for help. They pulled the man aboard their vessel and called 9-1-1. According to media reports, he looked to be in his mid-50s and was turning blue from cold.…
Read MoreCosta Unveils New Ship, Cuts Ticket Prices
Costa Unveils New Ship, Cuts Ticket Prices Following the Jan. 13 cruise ship accident in which the COSTA CONCORDIA capsized off the coast of Italy, Costa Cruises has been trying to repair its tarnished image. Costa, part of the British-American company Carnival Cruise Lines, has not only been cutting ticket prices, it also christened a…
Read MoreNew Cruise Industry Safety Guidelines . . . Too Little, Too Late?
In the wake of the COSTA CONCORDIA tragedy, the cruise industry has been scrambling to save face. Recently, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) announced three new safety policies, which include: Only allowing authorized individuals on the bridge when the captain is dealing with a potentially risky situation Planning…
Read MoreMinnesota Couple Killed in COSTA CONCORDIA Disaster
The death toll now stands at 32, although two bodies have yet to be recovered. Victims of the COSTA CONCORDIA tragedy hailed from around the world: Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, Peru, Spain, India and Minnesota. Three months after the ship capsized off the coast of Italy, Italian officials confirmed two of the identified bodies were…
Read MoreFall Injuries in the Maritime Industry
Working in the maritime industry involves a number of risks, including the risk of falling. Falls in the maritime industry can be caused by a number of factors, such as: Tripping hazards Slippery conditions Unsafe stairways Poorly secured scaffolding Misuse of ladders Elevator or manlift malfunction Unguarded waterside edges Open hatches that are not marked…
Read MorePreventing Falls in the Maritime Industry
In New Zealand, a cargo-handler was recently injured at the Port of Lyttelton when he fell while working on a vessel. In the United Kingdom, Pendennis Shipyard Ltd. was recently fined thousands of pounds after an apprentice fell approximately two meters from improperly secured scaffolding and injured his knees. And just last month, a man…
Read MoreNumerous Laws Protect Injured Maritime Workers
On May 2, the U.S. Coast Guard medically evacuated a fisherman who had severely injured his hand while hauling gear as he worked on board the F/V SANDY ROSE. He was transported to Bangor Eastern Maine Medical Center. Fishermen and other maritime workers routinely risk injuries to their hands, feet and other body parts. They…
Read MoreNTSB Recommends Propulsion Failure Alarms Following Investigation of 2010 Staten Island Ferry Accident
On May 8, 2010, the ANDREW J. BARBERI passenger ferry struck the St. George terminal in Staten Island, N.Y. There were 266 people aboard the 310-foot vessel when it experienced propulsion control problems and crashed. Reportedly, crewmembers were unaware of the issue until seconds before the accident. Three people were seriously injured and 40 others…
Read MoreCOSTA CONCORDIA Wreckage to Be Removed in One Piece
COSTA CONCORDIA Wreckage to Be Removed in One Piece Beginning sometime early this month, U.S.-owned Titan Salvage will start the process of removing the capsized COSTA CONCORDIA cruise ship from where it sits near the Italian island of Giglio. The salvage plan includes removing the ship in one piece and towing it to an Italian…
Read MoreCOSTA CONCORDIA Tragedy Prompts Cruise Industry to Adopt New Safety Policies
COSTA CONCORDIA Tragedy Prompts Cruise Industry to Adopt New Safety Policies On Jan. 13, the COSTA CONCORDIA capsized off the coast of Italy after striking a reef, claiming the lives of 32 people, including an elderly couple from Minnesota. In the wake of this tragic cruise ship accident, the cruise industry has been reviewing its…
Read MoreCoast Guard Calls of Search for Missing Tugboat Captain Brendan O’Leary
Coast Guard Calls of Search for Missing Tugboat Captain Brendan O’Leary The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for a missing tugboat captain Thursday evening. The captain, Brendan O’Leary, is believed to have fallen from his ship into the water about nine miles off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island. Officials had been searching the…
Read MoreCruise Ship Ignores Fishing Vessel In Distress
As cruise ship safety continues to be at the forefront of people’s minds following the tragic COSTA CONCORDIA disaster, now Princess Cruises finds itself at the heart of controversy over accusations that one of its ships ignored a fishing vessel in distress. The cruise ship STAR PRINCESS sailed near the stranded fishing vessel THE FIFTY…
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