Sudden, severe weather sank towing vessel off Galveston, NTSB report reveals

Severe weather caused an overwhelming towline force and unrecoverable heeling that led to the capsizing and sinking of a towing vessel near Galveston, Texas, last year, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said earlier this week.

On May 13, 2024, while towing the barge Marmac 27 astern on an 800-foot (240-metre) long wire, the towing vessel Baylor J. Tregre​ encountered severe weather, listed to port, capsized and sank.

The four-person crew abandoned the vessel into a liferaft and were rescued by the US Coast Guard. One crewmember sustained minor injuries.

There was no pollution reported. Damage to the towing vessel was estimated at US$2 million.

​According to the mate, the wind intensified suddenly as the vessel transited at four knots. Unable to avoid the storm, the mate attempted to steer Baylor J. Tregre so that the tow would be downwind.

However, the force of the wind on the tow rapidly pushed the barge to the south of Baylor J. Tregre, causing the towline connected to the stern of the tug to essentially halt the tug’s forward motion and the vessel to begin to heel to port. With the crew unable to change the tug’s heading or release the tow, the vessel continued to heel and capsize.

The crew had to climb out of the wheelhouse through the starboard door because the port wheelhouse door was almost in the water.

The sea state worsened, with six- to seven-foot (1.8- to two-metre) seas, and the vessel continued to sink by the stern with a heavy port list. After a wave blew the wheelhouse windows out, the vessel sank.

On May 15, the tow wire connecting Marmac 27 to the sunken Baylor J. Tregre was cut, and Marmac 27 was towed to Freeport, Texas.

During salvage operations, Baylor J. Tregre was found in an inverted position on the ocean floor.

The vessel was later successfully raised and transported to a salvage dock in Galveston, Texas.

Marine investigation report 25-21 is available online.