Classification
- Incident Type: Collision / Sinking
- Severity: High
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Key Largo |
| Other Vessel | Sea Shepherd |
| Vessel Type | Key Largo: Naval / Military; Sea Shepherd: fishing vessel |
| Flag State | United States [US] for both vessels |
| IMO Number | Not reported |
| MMSI | 367925000 (Key Largo) |
| Call Sign | NGEI (Key Largo) |
| Gross Tonnage | Key Largo: 155 long tons; Sea Shepherd: unknown |
| LOA (m) | Key Largo: 33.00; Sea Shepherd: 12.7 |
| Breadth (m) | Key Largo: 6.3; Sea Shepherd: 3.9 |
| Persons on Board | Key Largo: 17; Sea Shepherd: 2 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2014-09-23 |
| Time | About 06:35 Atlantic standard time |
| Location | Virgin Passage, 9 nautical miles east-northeast of Vieques Island, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°11.12′ N, 65°07.87′ W |
| Region | Caribbean Sea |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Direct Damage | USD 200,000 |
Key facts
- Sea Shepherd was stopped while its two crewmembers retrieved lobster traps.
- The crewmembers jumped overboard just before Key Largo struck the fishing vessel and were both recovered.
- Key Largo struck Sea Shepherd's starboard side and pushed it sideways before the vessels separated.
- Sea Shepherd sustained a vertical fracture extending below the waterline, flooded in all compartments, and sank about two hours later.
- The NTSB recorded no injuries and valued the total loss of Sea Shepherd at USD 200,000.
- The report noted that about 250 gallons of diesel fuel and 2 gallons of lubricating oil sank with Sea Shepherd, while environmental damage was recorded as none reported.
Narrative
Key Largo was patrolling the Virgin Passage on the morning of 23 September 2014. Sea Shepherd, a 42-foot fishing vessel with a captain-owner and mate aboard, had departed St. Thomas before sunrise and was stopped while the crew retrieved lobster traps. The two fishermen saw the approaching Coast Guard cutter but did not radio it or sound a danger signal.
The officer of the deck on Key Largo had taken the watch at 05:13. He and the quartermaster of the watch were the only bridge watchstanders. Shortly before the collision, the quartermaster left the bridge to observe an engineering watchstander conducting an aft-deck safety assignment. The officer of the deck later told investigators that he was concerned about the quartermaster's absence and saw Sea Shepherd only when he moved toward the bridge door. The cutter was operating on one engine and was making about 9.7 knots.
When the Sea Shepherd captain realized impact was imminent, he and the mate jumped overboard from the stern. Key Largo struck Sea Shepherd's starboard side at about 06:35, pushing the fishing vessel sideways before the vessels separated. Key Largo's crew recovered the captain, and the mate later transferred to the cutter by small boat. A machinery technician found all compartments of Sea Shepherd flooded. A vertical fracture on the starboard side extended from the deck to below the waterline, and the vessel sank about two hours after the collision.
The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the officer of the deck's failure to detect and avoid Sea Shepherd, most likely because he had fallen asleep. The officer reported only about 3.5 hours of sleep in the preceding 24 hours and had not reported that he was unfit for duty because of fatigue.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014-09-23 about 04:35 | Sea Shepherd departed Saga Haven Marina on St. Thomas. |
| 2014-09-23 about 05:13 | The Key Largo officer of the deck took the bridge watch. |
| 2014-09-23 before 06:35 | Sea Shepherd stopped to retrieve lobster traps; its two crewmembers saw Key Largo approaching. |
| 2014-09-23 about 06:35 | Key Largo struck Sea Shepherd in the Virgin Passage. |
| 2014-09-23 after impact | Both Sea Shepherd crewmembers were recovered by Key Largo personnel. |
| 2014-09-23 about 08:35 | Sea Shepherd sank after its compartments flooded. |
| 2016-07-11 | The NTSB published the marine accident brief. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ineffective watchstanding | Confirmed finding | The NTSB concluded that the officer of the deck was not standing an effective watch, regardless of whether Sea Shepherd appeared on radar. |
| Fatigue and failure to report unfitness | Confirmed finding | The officer reported about 3.5 hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours, and the NTSB found evidence that he was likely asleep immediately before the collision. |
| No radio or danger signal from Sea Shepherd | Reported | The fishing vessel crew did not contact Key Largo or sound a danger signal before the collision became inevitable. |
| Low radar detectability | Suspected | The NTSB considered Sea Shepherd's low profile, fiberglass construction, and lack of radar reflector as possible reasons it may not have appeared clearly on radar. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the casualty as DCA14PM019. It determined that the probable cause was the Key Largo officer of the deck's failure to detect and avoid Sea Shepherd, most likely because he had fallen asleep. The officer's failure to report that fatigue made him unfit for duty contributed to the collision. The NTSB recommended implementation of the Coast Guard's Crew Endurance Management program in operational units. The report does not provide a separate estimate for Key Largo's minor damage.