Classification
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Allision |
| Severity | High |
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | African Neptune |
| Vessel Type | General Cargo |
| Flag State | United States [US] |
| IMO Number | 5004283 |
| Official Number | 290485 |
| Call Sign | KAFV |
| Gross Tonnage | 11309 |
| LOA (m) | 174.35 |
| Breadth (m) | 22.92 |
| TEU | |
| Year Built | 1963 |
| Crew Size |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 1972-11-07 |
| Location | Sidney Lanier Bridge, Brunswick River, Brunswick, Georgia |
| Coordinates | 31.117972, -81.484731 |
| Region | United States |
| Fatalities | 10 |
| Injuries | 11 |
| Missing | |
| Cargo Loss | |
| Direct Damage | |
| Economic Damage | |
| Insured Loss | |
| Salvage/Cleanup Cost |
Key facts
- The vessel cast off from the State Docks at about 9:36 p.m. on November 7, 1972, and was maneuvering toward the Sidney Lanier Bridge lift span.
- The ship struck a bridge structure about 250 feet south of the southernmost lift-span tower; three bridge sections and 10 vehicles fell into the Brunswick River.
- Ten of the 24 people on the bridge died, and 11 others were injured.
- The African Neptune suffered minor damage, received temporary repairs in Brunswick, and proceeded to Savannah on November 8 for cargo discharge and permanent repairs.
- The Coast Guard Marine Board and federal court findings identified the incorrectly executed rudder order and inadequate safeguards as central causes.
Narrative
On November 7, 1972, African Neptune completed loading at the State Docks on Oglethorpe Bay and cast off at about 9:36 p.m. Two licensed pilots and the master were on the bridge. A tug initially assisted the vessel away from the dock, after which the ship proceeded under its own engines and rudder through the narrow channel toward the lift span. The Coast Guard account described the approach as demanding because vessels had little room to align with the bridge opening and could reach a point from which a collision could not be avoided.
At about 9:43 p.m., the vessel notified the bridge operator of its intended passage. As the ship approached, the pilot ordered left rudder to begin the turn. During the approach, a relief helmsman took over. At about 9:46 p.m., the pilot ordered full ahead and left rudder 20 degrees. The helmsman repeated the order but turned the wheel to the right. The third mate noticed the rudder angle moving right, and the pilots then saw the error on the indicator. Emergency hard-left and full-astern orders were given, and an anchor was dropped. By the time a hard-right order was issued, the ship had slowed to about 1 or 2 knots but could not arrest its movement.
About 13 minutes after casting off, African Neptune struck a steel structural member approximately 250 feet south of the southernmost lift-span tower. Three bridge sections collapsed, sending 10 vehicles into the river. Ten of the 24 people on the bridge died, while others escaped, clung to the damaged structure, or were rescued by the ship's lifeboat and harbor craft. The bridge operator, local responders, Coast Guard patrol boats and helicopters, and other agencies participated in the search and rescue effort. The port closed overnight. With tug assistance, the ship moved to a Brunswick berth for temporary repairs, then proceeded to Savannah on November 8 for cargo discharge and permanent repairs to minor damage.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 1972-11-07 21:36 local | African Neptune cast off from the State Docks after loading operations. |
| 1972-11-07 21:43 local | The vessel notified the Sidney Lanier Bridge operator of its intention to pass through the lift span. |
| 1972-11-07 21:44 local | The pilot ordered left rudder as the vessel began aligning with the bridge opening. |
| 1972-11-07 21:46 local | The pilot ordered full ahead and left rudder 20 degrees; the helmsman incorrectly applied right rudder. |
| 1972-11-07 21:47 local | The error was detected; hard-left and full-astern orders were given and an anchor was dropped. |
| 1972-11-07 21:48 local | A hard-right order was given while the vessel was making about 1 or 2 knots. |
| 1972-11-07 | About 13 minutes after casting off, the vessel struck the bridge, which collapsed into the river. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Incorrect rudder application | Confirmed finding | The Coast Guard Marine Board and the federal court found that the helmsman applied right rudder in response to a left-rudder order. |
| Delayed detection and inadequate safeguards | Confirmed finding | The court found that the error was not detected in time and that the owner and vessel-command procedures lacked safeguards for the bridge approach. |
| Approach geometry and point of no return | Confirmed finding | The Marine Board identified the continuous left-turn approach and the speed needed to maintain steerageway as contributing conditions that left little room to recover after the rudder error. |
| Rudder-indicator placement and bridge-task allocation | Confirmed finding | The court identified the indicator position, insufficient bridge personnel, and the watch officer's simultaneous bell-book duties among the procedural shortcomings. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board investigation page lists the case as completed and identifies report MAR-74-04 for the November 7, 1972 marine casualty. The Coast Guard's contemporary Proceedings account states that a Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation concluded that the incorrectly applied rudder was the primary cause, with delayed detection, the constrained approach, and the speed needed for steerageway contributing. The NTSB also recommended safeguards for traffic on movable bridges that could collapse after a vessel impact.
In a 1974 federal limitation-of-liability proceeding, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia found that the navigational error was the preponderating cause and that the owner's and command's procedures were inadequate. The court also found that reversing the engines and dropping anchors did not stop the vessel before impact.
References
- NTSB investigation page: SS African Neptune
- NTSB Marine Accident Report MAR-74-04
- U.S. Coast Guard Proceedings, October 1974: African Neptune and Sidney Lanier Bridge
- MARAD vessel history: African Neptune
- In re Farrell Lines Incorporated, 378 F. Supp. 1354 (S.D. Ga. 1974)