CERRO SANTIAGO
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Captain may have died of fatigue
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) called on the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to take action, after a 59-year-old captain died aboard the 'Cerro Santiago' died on Sep 30, 2026, while assisting a northbound Neopanamax vessel. He had been working an extended midnight watch on his 6th consecutive day of duty. Initial reports indicated that the captain of the tug died due to a possible stroke, thr ITF wanted the cause of death to be established through a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation. The investigation into the captain’s death must include reviewing the possibility of fatigue and must include mechanisms to enforce workers’ protections in terms of rest, consecutive duties, working hours, and staffing. While the authority has remained quiet on the captain’s death, the issue of fatigue among tug operators continued to be a concern for the critical waterway that is the maritime trade route handling about 40 percent of U.S. container traffic and approximately five percent of world trade. Over the years, there have been numerous incidents at the canal that have been directly attributed to fatigue. In 2017, the 'Cerro Santiago' collided with the U.S. Coast Guard cutter 'Tampa'. An investigation into the collision determined that it was caused by failure of the master of the tug to maintain a vigilant watch due to fatigue.
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