Uncontrolled Flooding In Engine Room Sinks Fishing Vessel In Gulf Of Mexico

The National Transportation Safety Board reported that uncontrolled flooding resulting from a hole in the plating beneath the fishing vessel Captain Alex’s engine room caused the vessel to sink in the Gulf of Mexico. On November 25, 2022, the vessel, which was doing commercial fishing off the coast of Galveston, Texas, started to flood.

The four crew members were evacuated onto a U.S. Coast Guard boat when they failed to control the water. Fortunately, there were no reports of casualties among the crew. With an estimated 17,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board, the sinking of the Captain Alex caused an oil sheen and a debris field. The total loss of the vessel reported was $500,000.

When the Coast Guard received the distress call, they moved quickly to help Captain Alex. Even though the crew was given a dewatering pump, their efforts were in vain since it broke after failing to draw water. The crew had to abandon the vessel and evacuate when it kept taking on water.

The wreckage was not retrieved; therefore, the vessel could not be examined after a casualty. The previous survey of the vessel revealed no maintenance records or hull gauging reports from recent years, which presented obstacles for the investigation. The corrosion of the hull steel is thought to cause the hole in the vessel’s armour.

The NTSB report highlights the significance of routine out-of-water inspections conducted by trained professionals, such as marine inspectors or surveyors, to determine the material state of a vessel’s hull. It is advised that steel-hulled boats undergo routine hull gauging utilising ultrasonic testing, a reliable nondestructive technique for detecting possible material deterioration in the plating.

Reference: NTSB

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