Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: High
- Evidence status: Final NTSB marine investigation report, supported by U.S. Coast Guard rescue release
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | FV Tremont |
| Vessel Type | Fishing Vessel |
| Flag State | United States [US] |
| IMO Number | 7037894 |
| Official Number | 529154 |
| Gross Tonnage | 399 GRT |
| LOA (m) | 34.9 |
| Breadth (m) | 12.8 |
| Power (kW) | 895 |
| Owner/Operator | Tremont Fisheries, LLC |
| Year Built | 1970 |
| Other Vessel | MSC Rita |
| Other Vessel Type | Containership |
| Other Vessel Flag | Panama |
| Other Vessel IMO Number | 9289116 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2022-10-28 |
| Time | 00:36 EDT |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean, 55 nautical miles southeast of Chincoteague, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37.6120, -74.2452 |
| Region | United States |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Persons on Board | 13 on Tremont; 22 on MSC Rita |
| Cargo Loss | Nearly 500,000 lb of fish cargo; report value USD 750,000 |
| Direct Damage | USD 4.75 million estimated for Tremont; USD 1.5 million estimated for MSC Rita |
| Economic Damage | USD 6.25 million combined vessel-damage estimate |
| Environmental Damage | Small oil sheen; maximum diesel release estimated at 31,000 gallons |
| Insured Loss | |
| Salvage/Cleanup Cost | |
Key facts
- Tremont's hull was damaged on the port side and bow, and the vessel sank bow-first at about 04:20.
- The Coast Guard and good Samaritan vessels rescued all 13 people from Tremont; no injuries were reported.
- The U.S. Coast Guard's initial release described the location as approximately 63 miles southeast of Chincoteague; the NTSB final report gives 55 nautical miles and exact coordinates.
Narrative
Tremont was transiting north-northeast while MSC Rita was southbound. After Tremont passed ahead of MSC Rita at about 00:29, Tremont turned back toward the containership. MSC Rita's bridge team attempted to avoid the collision, but Tremont struck MSC Rita's starboard side about 20 seconds after the containership began a hard-to-port maneuver.
The collision damaged Tremont's port side and bow. Water reached the main deck above the fish hold within about 10 minutes, and the crew later abandoned the vessel as flooding continued. The crew launched a liferaft at about 04:10; Tremont sank bow-first at about 04:20. Twelve people were transferred to the good Samaritan vessel Drysten, while the mate was hoisted by a Coast Guard helicopter after being washed overboard. The remaining survivors were taken ashore at about 06:00.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2022-10-27 19:00 EDT | Tremont was underway off Chincoteague after retrieving its fishing gear; the mate later stood watch alone in the wheelhouse. |
| 2022-10-28 00:29 EDT | Tremont passed ahead of MSC Rita at a distance of about 2.3 nautical miles. |
| 2022-10-28 00:32:20 EDT | Tremont turned back toward MSC Rita. |
| 2022-10-28 00:36:05 EDT | MSC Rita switched to hand steering and came hard to port. About 20 seconds later, Tremont struck MSC Rita's starboard side. |
| 2022-10-28 01:48 EDT | Tremont's captain transmitted a distress call. Nearby vessels arrived at about 03:00 EDT. |
| 2022-10-28 04:10 EDT | The crew abandoned Tremont into a liferaft. |
| 2022-10-28 04:20 EDT | Tremont sank bow-first. |
| 2022-10-28 06:00 EDT | The remaining survivors were transferred to a Coast Guard motor lifeboat and taken to Chincoteague. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Lookout and autopilot use | Confirmed finding | NTSB determined that the Tremont mate did not maintain a proper lookout and kept the autopilot engaged while troubleshooting the gyrocompass, causing the vessel to turn into MSC Rita's path. |
| Distraction and AIS display | Confirmed finding | NTSB found that the mate was distracted by gyrocompass troubleshooting; Tremont's AIS was transmitting but not displaying properly, and the mate did not detect MSC Rita on radar or visually until immediately before the collision. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board published Marine Investigation Report MIR-23-27 on 18 December 2023. The NTSB determined the probable cause as the Tremont mate's failure to maintain a proper lookout while troubleshooting the gyrocompass with the autopilot engaged. The report also notes that the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Virginia assisted the investigation.
References
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