Inadequate lookout led to deadly 2022 collision involving US Coast Guard cutter off Puerto Rico

The fatal collision between a US Coast Guard cutter and a small boat off the coast of Puerto Rico last year resulted from the failure of either vessel to maintain a proper lookout, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said earlier this week.

On August 8, 2022, the Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Winslow Griesser and the centre console commercial fishing boat Desakata collided about four nautical miles off the northern coast of Puerto Rico.

The cutter, with a crew of 21, was traveling westward along the coast. The 23-foot (seven-metre) boat, with two aboard, was heading northbound.

As a result of the collision, one crewmember on Desakata was killed and the other was seriously injured. The boat was declared a total loss of US$58,800.

Maintaining a proper lookout, by sight and sound, is a fundamental rule of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea for vessels.

NTSB investigators found that the bridge crew on Winslow Griesser was not aware they had hit anything until a crewmember saw Desakata‘s wreckage floating down the side of the cutter.

​Leading up to the collision, neither vessel’s crew saw the other vessel, despite having the opportunity to do so.

Neither crewmember on Desakata was maintaining a lookout, as both were focused on fishing. Also, no crewmember aboard the cutter was designated solely as a lookout with no other duties.

Coast guard practice is that all members of the bridge watch are responsible for shared lookout duties. Investigators determined no one was maintaining a lookout at the time of the collision.

Investigators said contributing factors included the failure of Winslow Griesser’s commanding officer and the officer of the deck to take sufficient measures to increase situational awareness while the cutter was traveling at a high speed.

During the investigation, several crewmembers of Winslow Griesser declined to speak with NTSB investigators. If Winslow Griesser had been equipped with a voyage data recorder (VDR), the additional data and audio could help identify safety issues, resulting in safety improvements.

Marine Investigation Report 23-14 and the corresponding safety alert ​are available online.