Martha’s Vineyard, MA: The Leonardo, a scalloping vessel based out of New Bedford, was caught in choppy seas just a bit southwest of Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday afternoon. The vessel soon capsized and sank in the surrounding water. One of the 4 fishermen was found in a lifeboat hours after a distress signal was sent. That fishermen remains in the hospital, and “The other three fishermen are presumed lost, said Luis Martins, owner of the fishing vessel Leonardo Monday Morning.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Noel confirmed that a distress signal from the Leonardo came in at 3:18 p.m. Sunday; however, rescuers could only locate one fisherman in a lifeboat before 5:00 p.m. Noel reported that even though the conditions were rough, “There were 9-foot waves, 29-knot winds and 39-knot gusts,” the crew member who was rescued was not wearing a life jacket, nor were the other fishermen still lost.
The Leonardo, built in 1967, was purchased by Martins, who owns a fish processing plant named Joe’s Fresh Seafood located in New Bedford, approximately five years ago, but stated that the 56-foot commercial fishing vessel has been updated since being purchased.
Martins and the Coast Guard have both refused to provide the names of any of the crew members, both those still missing and that of the crew member being hospitalized. The vessel remains submerged some 24 nautical miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, which is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Coast Guard has two ships and a helicopter searching for the souls still missing.
Fishing workers are known for facing dangerous risks while on the water. Most commonly, aside from vessels capsizing, the issues causing fishing accidents include the following:
- Co-employee negligence
- Equipment malfunction
- Inadequate equipment
- Inadequate manpower
- Improper work procedures
- Inclement weather
- Failure to provide a safe place to work
Aside from Martha’s Vineyard, like in this particular fishing accident case, there are other heavily busy fishing zone in the continental U.S.
Fishing Accidents – Other Common Locations in the U.S.
The Bering Sea – Fishing Accidents
As one of the most productive areas for fisheries on Earth, the Bering Sea is the source of employment and livelihood for hundreds of thousands of maritime workers worldwide ranging from fishermen to cargo ships and everything in between. This vast body of water covers over 800,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface between Alaska and Russia in the northern Pacific Ocean and offers untold opportunities for work and employment for any seafarer or fisher daring enough to brave their waters. With the large opportunity for fishing companies, there is also a high risk for fishermen injuries, and the subsequent need for injured fishermen to get the right maritime lawyer.
Please see our page Bering Sea – Maritime Lawyer to find out more regarding Bering Sea fishing lawyers.
Alaska – Fishing Accidents
With ready access to the Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, and the Gulf of Alaska, the state of Alaska has one of the biggest fishing and shipping industries in the world. And with any large industry comes a large number of workplace accidents. Dennis M. O’Bryan is an experienced maritime law and Jones Act attorney,
Please see our page Alaska – Maritime Lawyer to find out more regarding Alaska fishing lawyers.
Boston – Fishing Accidents
As the oldest functioning port in the Western Hemisphere, the port of Boston serves as the maritime hub for all of New England with over 50,000 jobs created for local shipping, docking, and fishing industries. If you’re involved in these industries and experience an accident, maritime attorney Dennis O’Bryan has the experience and knowledge necessary to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.
No matter how you spend your time on Boston’s waterways, you may find yourself in need of a tough and experienced maritime lawyer. The law firm of O’Bryan Baun Karamanian is willing to travel when needed to get the information necessary to win your case and get you the compensation you deserve. If you find yourself injured on the waters of Boston, call us at 1-800-OBRYANS.
Please see our page Boston, Massachusetts – Maritime Lawyer to find out more regarding Alaska fishing lawyers.
If you or someone you know needs an experienced maritime fishing boat accident lawyer, our nationwide maritime and fisherman lawyers are available 24/7. Contact the O’Bryan Baun Karamanian maritime lawyers today.
