Posts by Latti Associates LLC
Is It Safe for Pleasure Boats and Towboats to Share the Water?
At 24 percent, two or more vessels colliding with each other ranked as the most common type of boating accident in Ohio in 2013, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A recent Ohio River boating wreck involving a pleasure boat and a towboat has unfortunately added to Ohio’s 2014 death toll in the…
Read MoreFishing Boat Sinks After Coast Guard Cutter Crashes Into It
In a recent article about shipwrecks on the National Geographic Channel’s website, the author makes a point of mentioning that “the risk of crashing into another vessel remains high” in shipping lanes and harbors worldwide. Unfortunately, his words proved prophetic late last month when a 42-foot fishing boat sank after a 110-foot Coast Guard cutter…
Read MoreWhat Causes Ships to Sink?
From the Titanic to the Costa Concordia, when it comes to shipwrecks, there is only one thing that’s for sure: whenever anyone heads out on the water, the last thing they want to happen is to wind up a victim of such a disaster. And by and large, you would think as shipboard technology has…
Read MoreHow Does the Jones Act Protect American Maritime Workers?
The Jones Act has recently come under fire as businesses, oil refiners and think tanks push for repeal of the law in upcoming sessions. However, the Jones Act does more than just provide a cause of action for workers harmed by their employers – it protects American jobs. How Does the Jones Act Protect American…
Read MoreAm I at Risk of Inert Gas Suffocation in an Enclosed Space?
Am I at Risk of Inert Gas Suffocation in an Enclosed Space? Inert gases like argon don’t do much, which is why they are so useful in manual labor, like welding, where the work has to be performed in a non-combustible atmosphere to prevent fires or, worse, explosions, but while argon can make the work environment…
Read MoreDid a Lack of Employee Training Cause an On-Site Explosion?
Recently, a towing vessel anchored next to two Kirby barges at the Oil Recovery Company Gas Freeing Terminal (ORC), unaware that the barges were being cleared of residual diesel, sparked a fire that spread to the barges and finally resulted in explosions. Three sustained serious burn injuries. How Did This Explosion Happen at an ORC…
Read MoreJoin Us This Weekend at the Working Waterfront Festival!
Our firm is excited to be taking part in the 10th Annual Working Waterfront Festival, which will run from Saturday, September 27 (11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) through Sunday, September 28 (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) on the Port of New Bedford’s Steamship Pier. (Admission to the festival is free, and free parking for the…
Read MoreCan Life Jackets Save Lives?
Can Life Jackets Save Lives? It seems like a ridiculous question to ask, but according to Laurel Anders, Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, “Almost 80 percent of all boating fatalities happen to boaters not wearing a life jacket.” Why Don’t People Wear Life Jackets? Many people don’t wear life jackets because they…
Read MoreCould Drones Replace Human Captains on Cargo Ships?
Could Drones Replace Human Captains on Cargo Ships? 75 percent of accidents at sea are caused by human error. A European Union-funded research project called MUNIN is hoping to make the seas a whole lot safer by creating autonomous ships that can sail themselves from port to port using drones. Are Drones Safer than Humans?…
Read MoreWhat Happens When Cars Crash on a Ferry?
Unforeseen accidents can happen at any time on a ferry; crews must be prepared for any eventuality. Sometimes, even the best trained crew can only stand by helplessly as a passenger does something no one could have prepared for. Earlier this month, when a driver aboard one of the vessels in the Cape May-Lewes Ferry…
Read MoreMan Falls from Sailboat and Drowns in Lake Ontario
Time and time again, we hear reports of experienced boaters succumbing to drowning accidents. Accidents can happen to anyone at any time, and we must do our best to follow safety guidelines and train properly for any given boating situation. No one is immune to the power of the water. Last month, a 49-year-old Erie…
Read MoreWhy Did a Recreational Boat Burst Into Flames?
Some boaters think life jackets are too cumbersome, and only necessary for “other people.” This kind of arrogance is bound to cause problems. Everyone should put on a life jacket before starting their boat’s engine. Just last month, for example, a boat burst into flames when its owner turned the ignition key. Authorities in Oklahoma…
Read MoreAre Groundings of Massive Freighters Inevitable or Avoidable?
Are Groundings of Massive Freighters Inevitable or Avoidable? Many cargo ship accidents are preventable, when ship owners follow proper safety precautions and properly train their crews in safety regulations. Injuries and wrongful deaths are often prevented on vessels with sufficient staffing, proper maintenance and safety training. Earlier this month, the motor vessel American Spirit ran…
Read MoreHow Safe Are Marina Refueling Stations?
We all love a day out on the boat. One of the things we must attend to before heading out on the water is getting the boat properly fueled up and ready to go. Refueling a boat is not something to take lightly. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye if you are…
Read MoreRemembering Those Who Lost Their Lives on 9/11
On this day, the attorneys and staff at Latti Associates LLC take time to remember the passengers, workers, firefighters, officers, emergency responders and all others who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. The individuals who died during these attacks are not only victims; they were somebody’s loved one. This tragedy took the lives of…
Read MoreWill My Kids Be Safe During a Boating Party?
Alcohol usage is the leading factor in U.S. recreational boating deaths, accounting for 17 percent in 2012. This means that alcohol abuse on the water is responsible for almost one in five American boating deaths. Unfortunately, many people do not seem to be learning from these sobering figures, and another case of drunk boating has…
Read MoreMaritime Attorneys Dedicated to Helping Those Injured at Sea or On Land
Latti Associates LLC is a family-owned firm that helps those injured at sea and on land, and has been doing so for more than five decades. Our maritime attorneys represent injured clients from not just New England but all over the country. Partner Carolyn Latti took over the firm her father, Michael Latti, started way…
Read MoreLong Island Man Charged After Deadly Boating Accident
Boating while drinking is never a smart idea and can lead to tragic consequences. Even when a boat’s captain refrains from having a drink, a boat trip full of drunk passengers can end in tragedy just as easily—the better move is not to have alcohol onboard at all. In a horrific boating accident earlier this…
Read MoreNew Patented Water-Activated Life Raft
In far too many marine disasters, life rafts are in fact available for use, but passengers and crews either were not trained in how to deploy the life rafts, or the rafts were inaccessible. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime safety treaty, designed to ensure that…
Read MoreConnecticut Man Arrested After Drunk Boating Accident
Connecticut Man Arrested After Drunk Boating Accident Here at Latti Associates LLC, we have said it before, and we will keep saying it until people start to understand: drinking while boating is stupid and dangerous. Doing so not only puts boaters’ own lives at risk, it risks the lives of anyone else around them. Robert…
Read MoreTugboat Captain Killed by Falling Crane
Even experienced boat operators can fall victim to tragic accidents. But when those accidents could have been avoided by following safety guidelines, it is even more tragic. If tugboat owners and operators fail to follow adequate safety measures, they are putting their lives, as well as the lives of their crews, at serious risk. A…
Read MoreSection of Ohio River Closes After Oil Spill
Another tragic oil spill has occurred on an American waterway, causing untold ecological damage and risking the lives of the workers who must now struggle to control the oil before it can seep into the area’s drinking water. Duke Energy admitted that it spilled almost 5,000 gallons of diesel into the Ohio River near Cincinnati…
Read MoreHow Do Ferry Crews Prepare for Unforeseeable Accidents?
Whenever we buy a ticket for a ferry, we innately trust that the crew of that boat is prepared for any kind of emergency situation. Of course, we also assume that the crew is trained well enough that no emergencies will arise in the first place, but unexpected accidents do happen. This is why the…
Read MoreGirl Dies in Tubing Accident on Long Island Sound
The waterfront in Greenwich CT is always popular with teenagers for boating and water sports during the heat of the summer. Teens are allowed to operate a boat without parental supervision so long as they have a state-issued safe boating certificate. Every now and then, though, something goes catastrophically wrong, reminding all of us of…
Read MoreTragedy Averted as Three People on Missing Boat Found Next Day
From the Atlantic Seaboard to Southern California, we all love to go out on the water. Too often, though, people are in such a rush to push off from the dock that they fail to consider their own safety needs. Especially when boating at night, every boater needs the proper safety equipment and the proper…
Read MorePassengers Stranded on Riverboat
Boating safety plays a huge role for every craft on the water, no matter how large or small. We must always bear that in mind, even when we board a historic paddleboat for a scenic tour. Things can go wrong, and we need to be prepared for every eventuality. Recently, almost 300 people were stranded…
Read MoreWater Jetpack Safety a Concern in Maryland
Having fun on the water is one of the great American pastimes. We all love the feel of spray in our faces and wind in our hair. Over the years, we’ve fallen in love with sailboats, speedboats, water skis, kiteboards, inner tubes and Jet Skis. This summer there is a new contraption to add to…
Read MoreFatalities and Injuries in Michigan Boating Accident
When we head out on a boat, we must always remember that we share the water with other boaters. Many boaters seem to think that regular rules no longer apply the moment they leave the dock. The regular rules do still apply: be safe, be courteous, be aware. Common sense should never get left on…
Read MoreMariners Denied Shore Leave When Owners Fail To Pay For Visas
The safe and efficient operation of a boat is greatly enhanced when mariners are given adequate shore leave. These furloughs are also proven to be beneficial to seafarers’ general wellbeing. Many sailors, however, are routinely denied shore leave by their bosses, because they do not have visas. The Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 (MLC) requires…
Read MoreIs Sexual Assault on Cruise Ships a Common Experience?
Cruise lines generally sell promises of safe and happy days on the water, far away from such mundane problems as traffic, yard work or crime. But the cruise industry has been rocked in recent years by a number of incidents of sexual assault. Testifying before Congress, Laurie Dishman revealed that a crew member raped her…
Read MoreLobstermen Rescued After Nine Hours in Raft
Even experienced boaters can have mishaps on the water. All it takes is a dark night, some thick fog and an inconveniently positioned rock or two. Two Maine lobstermen spent one terrifying night adrift in an inflatable life raft after their fishing vessel hit a ledge in thick fog last month and quickly sank. The…
Read MoreIs a Cargo Ship a Safe Option For My Trip Abroad?
These days, many ambitious travelers choose to sail around the world in a different kind of ship: a working cargo ship laden with thousands of containers, stacked like building blocks on the deck. Cargo ships that allow passengers limit the number to 12 or fewer. This is because having more requires a shipboard physician. In…
Read MoreTowboat Grounding Result of Mate’s Poor Training
Our oceans are one of the most important resources on Earth, and yet many businesses treat them like a dumping ground, allowing poorly trained crews to make avoidable mistakes. Time and again we hear of chemical leakage, oil spills, sunken ships and other atrocities that wreak havoc on the ecosystem and lead to crewmember injuries.…
Read MoreExperienced Massachusetts Boater Involved in Fatal Accident
Safe boating is nothing to take lightly. Even the most experienced boaters can fall victim to tragic accidents. Last week, we shared the sad story of a Navy veteran who drowned during a weekend fishing trip. That man was an experienced swimmer and obviously knew his way around watercraft. Calm seas, however, can still be…
Read MoreTougher Penalties for Leaving Scene of Boat Accidents
In New Jersey, state law demands that boat operators involved in an accident stop and help any injured persons, assuming they can do so without risking harm to themselves. A new law just signed into existence raises the stakes for leaving the scene of an accident. If the accident results in a death, fleeing the…
Read MoreRemember These Safety Tips Next Time You Go Out on Your Boat
It’s the height of summer, and if you are one of millions of Americans who plans to take a boat out for some fun in the sun, it is important to keep a few safety tips in mind. Every passenger should wear a life jacket at all times—especially children. Last year, 84 percent of fatal boating…
Read MoreTugboat Accident Was Avoidable in Ghost Cruise Ship Sinking
Earlier this year, England was terrified by rumors of a ghost ship—filled with cannibal rats—drifting towards their peaceful shores. Luckily, the rumors turned out to be just rumors. Here is what really happened: Last January, the tugboat Charlene Hunt was assigned to tow the decommissioned cruise ship Lyubov Orlova to the Dominican Republic, where the cruise ship was set…
Read MoreInjured Fisherman Airlifted to Safety
BOSTON- Two aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod coordinated the hoist of an injured fisherman from a vessel about 115 miles east of Nantucket around 7p.m., Sunday. The fishing vessel Neves reported to Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England that a crewmember had suffered a Injured Fisherman Airlifted to Safetyback injury and needed…
Read MoreNorthern Belle Fishing Boat Sinks
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Coast Guard rescue crews from Air Station Kodiak have recovered four fishermen at 8:39 p.m. 50 miles south of Montegue Island after the 75-foot Seattle-based fishing vessel Northern Belle sank Tuesday around 5:30 p.m. Three of the four fishermen were reported to be suffering from hypothermia and a fourth was unresponsive but…
Read MoreLocal Victims Hope Laws At Sea Will Change
BOSTON — Team 5 Investigates has learned that cruise ship companies are not required to report crimes committed on board if their ships are 12 or more miles from shore. It’s a painful lesson that countless families have learned the hard way, including Kendall Carver, whose 40-year-old daughter, Merrian, disappeared while on a cruise in…
Read MoreMan Overboard in Gloucester MA
Boston.com reports that the Coast Guard has suspended its search for a fisherman who fell overboard yesterday morning about 46 miles southeast of Gloucester. The rescue mission consisted of three air searches and the use of three cutters and a 47-foot motorized boat, Meyer said. The 42-year-old single man was onboard the Miss Lindsey II…
Read MoreMassive Maritime Salvage Begins to Re-Float Costa Concordia
As the final phase of the Costa Concordia salvage operation gets underway, Italian locals, maritime engineers and government officials shared a moment of silence to commemorate the 32 people who died when the massive cruise ship ran aground back in 2012. When the Concordia was built in 2004, it was among the largest cruise ships in the…
Read MoreNew Illinois Laws Will Increase Boating Safety
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed three bills this month that should dramatically improve recreational boating safety. Under one bill, anyone born after 1998 will be required to complete a boating safety course before they can operate a boat with a 10 horsepower engine or greater. In a second bill, a person’s boat can be seized…
Read MoreUber Ferry Service Tested in East Boston
Uber, the popular smartphone-based taxi service, tried out a new ferry service in East Boston and the Boston Harbor last month. Going by the name of UberBOAT, the service ran for two weeks in June while the fledgling company measured demand before deciding how many resources to pour into a full time ferry service. The…
Read MoreDeaths and Injuries After Three-Boat Collision in Miami
A Fourth of July celebration ended tragically when three boats collided near a marina in Miami, killing four people and injuring as many as 12 others. Following a fireworks display, a crowd of boats was making its way back to shore, when one boat apparently crashed into another, then that second boat struck a third.…
Read MoreDrunk Boaters Inadvertently Cause Airport Security Scare
A fishing boat entered the restricted waterway around New York’s La Guardia Airport and ran into a light pole on one of the runway extensions. The Port Authority Police Department could see the stranded craft via surveillance cameras, but could not respond because their patrol boats had been docked for the night. The NYPD Harbor…
Read MoreNew York Boating Accident Claims Life of Navy Veteran
Police say two men were fishing in an anchored boat near the Stepping Stone Lighthouse off the Bronx shoreline, when they realized that a speeding powerboat was about to crash into them. Both men leapt into the Long Island sound to avoid being crushed. When the larger vessel passed without hitting them, one man climbed…
Read MoreThree Bodies Recovered after Chicago Boating Accident
Search crews have found the body of a third man who fell into Chicago’s Cal-Sag channel after their vessel collided with a barge. The channel is primarily used by barge traffic and as a conduit for wastewater, but is also used by pleasure crafts in the summer time. Last month, a 19-foot pleasure craft collided…
Read MoreTowboat Sinks on Mississippi River
The Coast Guard received a report that a towing vessel sank on the Mississippi River near the Phillips 66 Facility. The boat went down about 20 miles north of St. Louis, at a town called Alton IL. When The Alton Fire Department arrived, the craft had already settled down in the stern. Luckily the crew…
Read MoreMariners Must Renew Fire Training
The Coast Guard has decided that mariners need to prove continued proficiency in firefighting abilities. After 2016, maritime officers will be required to update their firefighting course work every five years. Sailors’ fire training is currently mandatory for officers who travel internationally, but they only have to take the full course once. After that, they…
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