The Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) stated on Tuesday that the sinking of the towing vessel Jacqueline A final 12 months within the Atlantic Ocean was brought on by a scarcity of watertight integrity.
The Jacqueline A was en route from Virginia to a Louisiana shipyard for regulatory compliance when it started taking over water off the coast of South Carolina on August 8, 2023. The three crew members on board deserted the vessel and had been rescued by native emergency responders. The vessel was finally salvaged.
NTSB investigators decided that the vessel sank stern-first, with the bow remaining above water for a while, indicating that the flooding started within the aft part. Vital wastage holes had been present in the principle deck plating above the lazarette, inside voids fashioned by the enclosed bulwark framing on the principle deck.
The report highlighted that inaccessible voids or poorly ventilated pockets pose dangers to vessels as a consequence of extreme rusting and corrosion. These areas can go unnoticed and unmaintained, resulting in important structural weaknesses.
Moreover, the investigation revealed that the bilge high-water alarm system on the Jacqueline A was ineffective as there was no sensor within the lazarette, stopping early flood detection. The NTSB beneficial that sensors be put in in all areas the place flooding might affect the vessel’s stability and buoyancy.
Moreover, electrical wire runs connecting the lazarette to the engine room had been discovered to be unsealed, permitting water to pour into the engine room as soon as the lazarette crammed up.
“For the protection of a vessel and all on board, the integrity of the hull and watertight bulkheads should be maintained, and any deficiencies should be appropriately addressed,” the report acknowledged. The NTSB emphasised that recognized points with watertight integrity have to be resolved completely.
The Jacqueline A was a complete loss, valued at $660,000.
Learn the report: Marine Investigation Report 24-20
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