Accident Reports

gCaptain’s full coverage of official casualty reporting in maritime, offshore and shipping.


Monday, November 3, 2025
An image showing the impact of the Maersk Shekou on the tall ship Leeuwin II in the Port of Fremantle, on August 30, 2024. Image courtesy Australian Transport Safety Bureau
Shipping

Bridge Team Breakdown: How Communication Failures Led to Containership’s Collision with Tall Ship

A breakdown in bridge resource management and a critical distraction aboard the 333-meter containership Maersk Shekou led to its collision with the tall

November 3, 2025
Total Views: 4088

Thursday, October 2, 2025
A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, that ran aground on a reef,
Accidents

Investigation Reveals Shocking Failures in Wakashio Oil Spill Disaster

Five years after the MV Wakashio ran aground on Mauritius’s south-east coast, causing the island nation’s worst maritime environmental disaster,

October 2, 2025
Total Views: 3557

Friday, September 19, 2025
M/V Finnmaster at berth
Accidents

Critical Systems Failures Led to Finnmaster Engine Room Fire During UK Port Departure

A fire that broke out aboard the ro-ro cargo vessel Finnmaster during its departure from Hull, England resulted in significant damage to the auxiliary engine

September 19, 2025
Total Views: 1487

Friday, September 5, 2025
Al Messilah livestock carrier at berth
Accidents

Communication Failure and Inadequate Maintenance Led to Livestock Carrier’s Engine Failure in Fremantle Port

A Kuwait-flagged livestock carrier that lost propulsion twice while entering the Port of Fremantle earlier this year highlights critical issues in maritime

September 5, 2025
Total Views: 1878

Thursday, August 28, 2025
Common Faith post-collision
Accidents

Micro Switch Failure Caused $1.1 Million Houston Ship Channel Collision, NTSB Finds

A steering control system component failure on the multi-purpose carrier BBC Africa resulted in a collision with the bulk carrier Common Faith in the Houston

August 28, 2025
Total Views: 1709

Wednesday, August 20, 2025
?The integrated tug and barge Krystal Sea and Cordova Provider in 2013, before the grounding. ??
Accidents

NTSB: Shock Loading Caused Catastrophic Line Failure in Alaska ITB Grounding

An integrated tug and barge (ITB) operating in Alaska’s Prince William Sound suffered a complete connection failure when all four push lines parted

August 20, 2025
Total Views: 186

Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Barges IN122011 and IN155499 immediately after impact blocking the primary channel. The Joe B. Wyatt is shown in the background
Accidents

Tow Pilot’s Overcompensation Leads to $3.28 Million Mississippi River Bridge Strike

An experienced tow pilot’s anticipation of river conditions that never materialized led to a costly accident on the Mississippi River, according to a

July 29, 2025
Total Views: 2632

Friday, July 25, 2025
Achilles Bulker
Accidents

Critical Rudder Failure: Bulk Carrier Narrowly Avoids Grounding After Maintenance Error

A fully loaded bulk carrier narrowly avoided disaster when its rudder completely broke off during departure from a New Zealand port, highlighting critical

July 25, 2025
Total Views: 6518

Thursday, July 17, 2025
William B Klunk underway
Accidents

Fatigue and Cell Phone Use Lead to $810,000 Mississippi River Barge Collision

A tow pilot distracted by personal cell phone use and suffering from fatigue caused a significant collision with moored barges on the lower Mississippi River

July 17, 2025
Total Views: 4245

Thursday, July 3, 2025
The Tarka II as seen on the U.S. Coast Guard overflight (left) and the Tarka II as seen by the captain upon returning to the vessel (right), both on the night of the fire.
Accidents

NTSB Underscores Critical Role of Smoke Detectors After Fishing Vessel Fire and Sinking

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is highlighting the importance of properly placed smoke and fire detectors following its investigation of a

July 3, 2025
Total Views: 978

Monday, June 30, 2025
Mexican Navy training ship damaged after it ran into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City
Accidents

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on Mexican Navy Tall Ship Collision with Brooklyn Bridge

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the May 17 accident in which the Mexican Navy training vessel ARM Cuauhtémoc

June 30, 2025
Total Views: 12525

Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Tom Frazier aground and listing to starboard
Accidents

NTSB Finds Captain’s Navigation Error Led to Ohio River Grounding

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a towing vessel grounded on a submerged jetty in the Ohio River last year after the captain

June 25, 2025
Total Views: 2358

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Left to right: Towing vessel Baylor J. Tregre at unknown date, and ocean barge MARMAC 27 after the casualty.
Accidents

Severe Weather Causes $2 Million Towing Vessel Casualty Near Galveston

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its findings on the capsizing and sinking of the towing vessel Baylor J. Tregre near Galveston,

June 4, 2025
Total Views: 3140

Thursday, May 22, 2025
City of Louisville on unknown date before the grounding
Accidents

Unattended Helm Results in $2 Million Towing Vessel Grounding on Mississippi River

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released findings today regarding a significant vessel grounding incident that occurred when a pilot left the

May 22, 2025
Total Views: 3710

Thursday, May 15, 2025
Near Disaster Off Sydney Coast Exposes Major Gaps in Maritime Emergency Response
Accidents

Near Disaster Off Sydney Coast Exposes Major Gaps in Maritime Emergency Response

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released a comprehensive report detailing the July 2022 incident where the bulk carrier Portland Bay nearly

May 15, 2025
Total Views: 2034

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Photo of the Bayesian taken from the Sir Robert Baden Powell
Accidents

UK Investigators Uncover Stability Issues Behind Tech Tycoon’s Superyacht Sinking

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released an interim report detailing the tragic sinking of the superyacht Bayesian off Sicily’s

May 14, 2025
Total Views: 6428

Tuesday, May 13, 2025
American Mariner underway before the contact
Accidents

Debris in Steering System Causes Bulk Carrier’s $2 Million Collision with Navigation Aid

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a piece of O-ring-type material debris caused a steering system failure that led to a bulk

May 13, 2025
Total Views: 6681

Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Fire on the Grande Costa D’Avorio ship
Accidents

‘Profoundly Concerned’: NTSB Chair Calls Out Training Gaps in Shipboard Firefighting

By Daniel Katzive (gCaptain) – Training failures which contributed to the deaths of two firefighters on a RoRo ship at Port Newark in July 2023 are

May 6, 2025
Total Views: 1781

Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Design Flaw Leads to $3 Million Fire on Tennessee River Towing Vessel
Accidents

Design Flaw Leads to $3 Million Fire on Tennessee River Towing Vessel

A catastrophic engine failure aboard the towing vessel Johnny M led to a serious fire that caused $3 million in damage, highlighting critical safety

April 29, 2025
Total Views: 3243

Thursday, April 24, 2025
An aerial view of The Amber Brittany with three barges after the accident
Accidents

NTSB: Inexperienced Pilot’s Phone Use and Outdraft Current Led to $1.3M Ohio River Tow Accident

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that an inexperienced pilot’s failure to compensate for outdraft current, combined with

April 24, 2025
Total Views: 4089