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Report: Pilot of bulk carrier was distracted by phone call ahead of fatal collision
The National Transportation Safety Board has published its investigation report into the collision of the bulk carrier 'Yangze 7' (IMO: 9718911) with the 'Miss Peggy' on the Houston Ship Channel on July 19, 2024, near Lynchburg, Texas, which caused the tug to capsize and sink with five crew members aboard. Four of them were rescued by a nearby vessel, while the 5th was later found dead inside the wreck. One crew member had suffered serious, another minor injuries. An undetermined amount of oil was released into the waterway. Damage and cleanup costs totaled an estimated $3.7 million. The 'Yangze' 7 had escaped the accident without damage. The NTSB found that the Houston pilot, who was directing the bulk carrier, had been engaged in a non-operational phone call with another pilot for 39 minutes, leading up to the accident. Although the call ended just over two minutes before the impact, it distracted the pilot long enough for him to lose awareness of the tug sailing ahead. The investigation also found that the 'Yangze 7‘s bridge team failed to intervene despite recognising the pilot was engaged in personal conversations, reflecting ineffective bridge resource management. At least one officer told the investigators that he had been very afraid because the pilot was chatting through a Bluetooth earpiece while issuing helm orders, and that the conversation had nothing to do with navigation or vessel operations. The captain of the 'Miss Peggy' likewise failed to maintain a proper lookout and did not detect the bulk carrier approaching from astern. Meanwhile, the 'Yangze 7' bridge team did not spot the tug until it was less than a ship’s length ahead. The NTSB concluded that all three parties, the pilot, the ship’s bridge team, and the tug captain, had lost situational awareness because they failed to keep a proper lookout. According to the investigation, the Houston Pilots had no policy at the time prohibiting pilots from using personal electronic devices for non-operational purposes, while directing vessels. The investigators said that the absence of a policy likely normalised the practice, increasing safety risks for vessels and crews. The NTSB has recommended that the U.S. Coast Guard to prohibit the non-operational use of personal electronic devices by anyone directing vessel movements in U.S. waterways. It also called on the American Pilots’ Association to develop guidance banning such use by pilots actively navigating vessels and encourage member associations to adopt similar rules. The report highlighted a broader pattern of distraction-related marine casualties. According to the NTSB, personal electronic device distraction was identified as either a contributing factor or the probable cause in at least 10 marine accidents between 2009 and 2024, resulting in three deaths and 45 injuries. Reports with photos: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA24FM051.aspx https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20260806.aspx
One missing after tug sank
The 'Miss Peggy' capsized and sank in the Houston Ship Channel on the afternoon of July 19, 2024, after the collision with the bulk carrier 'Yangze 7' (IMO: 9718911). The five crew members ended up in the water, with one man missing, while four were swiftly rescued. The U.S. Coast Guard, together with several local, state, and federal agencies, has been working to find the man. The Harris County Sheriff's Office and Houston Police Department, along with the Coast Guard with a helicopter and boats, were scouring the vicinity of the south end of the Lynchburg Ferry for him. An investigation was commenced once the search and recovery efforts had concluded. Two of the recovered crew members were in need of medical attention, with one man released short time later, and the other in stable condition. A Unified Command has been established consisting of representatives from federal, state and local authorities as well as Ingram Marine representatives. The involved authorities, including the Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Army Corps of Engineers, were coordinating in a multi-agency operation to ensure the search is comprehensive and traffic in the waterway was managed to avoid further incidents.
Tug raised two days after collision
The 'Miss Peggy' was raised from the Houston Ship Channel, after it had capsized following the collision with the bulk carrier 'Yangze 7' (IMO: 9718911). Five people were aboard the tug, when it flipped over just before 3 p.m. in eastern Harris County, half a mile from the Lynchburg ferry landing. Good Samaritans rescued four crew from the water, as Coast Guard boats, a helicopter and the Harris County dive team continued to search for the missing crew member. The body was located on July 20, and the salvage was underway on July 21. The Coast Guard was investigating the accident. AIS data showed the Miss Peggy was near the channel edge as the bulk carrier 'Yangze 7' approached.
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