On August 8, 2022, tragedy struck off the coast of Puerto Rico when Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser and the 23-foot center-console boat Deskata collided. The collision caused the death of one Desakata crewmember and highlighted safety shortfalls on both vessels. The incident, investigated by the NTSB and documented in the Safer Seas Digest 2023, underlines the importance of maintaining a proper lookout and enhancing small vessel detection.
The NTSB Safer Seas Digest for 2023 provides a comprehensive overview of marine accidents investigated yearly. The report summary covers a range of vessel disasters, including capsizing, collisions, fires, flooding, and more, totaling 31 vessel investigations.
Each investigation aims to analyze the contributing factors, incident details, and safety recommendations. Since 2021, the NTSB and Coast Guard agreed that both organizations would investigate a marine causality, but only one of the organizations would serve as the lead on the investigation. Generally, NTSB leads investigations when there is:
another transportation mode
serious threat of, or presumed loss of six or more lives on a passenger vessel
serious threat of, or presumed loss of 12 or more lives on a commercial vessel;
safety issues of a recurring character
significant safety issues relating to Coast Guard statutory missions, specifically, aids to navigation
While each vessel investigation had its particulars, the digest concluded the trending safety risks included:
Small vessel detection
Effective communication, including the proper reporting of chart changes and hazards
Proactive equipment inspection
Timely hull maintenance and repair
Proper maintenance and repair of equipment and machinery
Fatigue
Anticipation of fire hazards, including those presented by lithium-ion batteries
Firefighting training
Effective watchkeeping
Nonoperational cell phone use
Lack of appropriate planning
Excessive speed during bow-to-bow harbor-assist operations
Reporting potential anchor strikes
Understanding common close calls and fatal incidents on the water is imperative to improving safety practices. For safety information regarding anticipation of fire hazards, effective communication, fatigue, and more, visit AMSEA’s Student Resources page. To access the full report, visit: Safer Seas Digest 2023
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