Shocking Video: Barge Crushes Tour Boat in a Fatal Accident

This is one of the most shocking ship accident videos ever. In July 2010, a sludge barge towed by a tugboat plowed into the disabled, 33-foot duck boat (tour boat) on the Delaware River, plunging the amphibious vessel and its 35 passengers and two crew members underwater. Two people died in the horrible accident.

According toThe National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the mate operating a tugboat, failed to maintain a proper lookout while towing a barge up the Delaware River. The investigation revealed that the mate was inattentive to his duties while navigating the vessel because he was distracted by his repeated use of a cell phone and lap top computer while communicating with his family who were dealing with a family emergency. Further, rather than being in the upper wheel house as expected, the tugboat mate was navigating from its lower wheel house where visibility of the channel ahead was limited.

Warning: graphic video

Source : AP

About Author

Raunek Kantharia is a marine engineer turned maritime writer and entrepreneur. After a brief stint at the sea, he founded Marine Insight in 2010. Apart from managing Marine Insight, he also writes for a number of maritime magazines and websites.