Check out a few of the latest headlines in the maritime world!
Federal, state officials investigating boating accident
Federal and state officials are working together to investigate a boat crash that led to the death of a Sulphur man yesterday.
The body of Joseph J. Bergeron, 34, of Sulphur, was found yesterday after a crash in the Calcasieu River Ship Channel near Hackberry. He was ejected from his boat after it hit a dredge pipeline operating in the channel, officials say. Another person was injured in the crash, the Coast Guard says.
Kirby Sentenced to $2.2M Fine for the Nathan E. Stewart Spill
A Canadian court has fined American tug operator Kirby Corporation about $2.2 million for the environmental damages caused by the sinking of the ATB tug Nathan E. Stewart off Bella Bella, B.C. in 2016. Kirby pled guilty to three charges of depositing a substance harmfuzl to migratory birds, depositing a harmful substance in a fishery and operating a tug in a pilotage area without a pilot.
Kirby is the largest operator of tank barges in America, and its diversified portfolio covers inland and coastal marine transportation, on- and offshore oilfield equipment service, heavy equipment rentals and more. The fine is less than one-tenth of one percent of Kirby’s $2.9 billion annual revenue for FY2018, and the local indigenous community in Bella Bella has called for the company to do more to compensate for damage to the area’s marine ecosystem. The company still faces a civil suit by the Heiltsuk Nation for environmental remediation costs, as well as the impact on the tribe’s marine resources.
Coast Guard suspends search for overboard Carnival Cruise Line crew member near Cuba
The U.S. Coast Guard announced Sunday afternoon that it has stopped searching for the Carnival Victory crew member who went overboard Thursday.
“We’ve been in contact with the crew member’s family throughout our search efforts and know this is a very difficult time for them,” said Michael Mullen, search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard’s Seventh District. “Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we have to make as first responders, and it is never made lightly.”
A year after tragedy, Branson debates future of duck boats
One year after 17 people died when a boat sank on a Missouri lake near the tourist town of Branson, the question of whether the boats should return to the lake remains a topic of debate.
The amphibious vehicles, which operated on land and water, were a popular attraction in Branson for nearly 50 years. They are not operating this year, and Ripley Entertainment, which owns Branson Ride The Ducks, has not said whether they will return, The Kansas City Star reported .
The current mayor, Edd Akers, who was elected in April, said it’s possible the duck boats could return to Branson if they are altered and have improved safety features.