The Sinking of uninspected fishing vessel Miss Penelope

February 10, 2004

About 1530, January 26, 1998, the Miss Penelope departed Newport, Rhode Island, for commercial fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Montauk, New York. The crew comprised the master, a mate, and two deckhands. At the time of departure, the master had received a National Weather Service forecast predicting 30- to 40-knot winds and 10- to 15-foot seas in the intended fishing area.

The vessel arrived at the fishing grounds about 2330, and the crew began fishing. The work involved towing a fishing net astern and then hauling the netted catch on board, a routine that the crew continuously repeated while the vessel was at the fishing grounds.

The master said that, about 0300 on January 27, the weather deteriorated and he decided to suspend fishing, shut down the engine, and let the Miss Penelope ride out the heavy weather by drifting with the wind and seas. The crewmembers prepared the vessel for heavy weather, which involved securing the deck equipment and clearing the freeing ports on the after deck so that boarding seas could run freely overboard. The crewmembers dogged the clamps on the hatch covers to the storage areas and the lazarette and placed gravity-secured aluminum hatch covers on the fish-hold hatch.

While the Miss Penelope drifted, the crewmembers took turns standing watch in the wheelhouse; one man served as watch stander while the other crewmembers rested. The wheelhouse had a flooding alarm panel that monitored high-level bilge alarms in the engine room, fish hold, and lazarette. The watch stander’s duties included going to and checking the engine room for flooding or casualties every half hour. According to the master, before the accident, no crewmember reported any problems during his watch.

On January 28, the master relieved the mate on watch in the wheelhouse about 1300. The two men then checked the engine room and did not note any problems. The master stated that the winds were now blowing at 60 knots and the seas were 20 to 25 feet. He said that, shortly after he assumed the watch, the vessel took heavy seas on the starboard side and heeled over very hard to port. When the after deck did not immediately recover from the roll to port, he said, he knew something was seriously wrong with the vessel. He said that the Miss Penelope then began to sink by the stern.

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The master warned the mate and the deckhands that the vessel was sinking and then started the vessel’s main engine. The master maneuvered the vessel into the wind in an attempt to clear water from the after deck. The mate and the two deckhands mustered on the port fore deck, donned their survival suits, and launched the Miss Penelope’s inflatable life raft. The master donned his survival suit and remained in the wheelhouse. The Miss Penelope carried three Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs): one 406-Mhz model that automatically activated and two 121.5-Mhz models that manually activated. The mate dropped the automatically activated EPIRB into the sea, put one manually activated EPIRB into the life raft, and gave the other manually activated EPIRB to one of the deckhands.

At 1325, the master radioed a report of the vessel’s situation and position to the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) station at Moriches, New York. Twenty minutes later, he notified the Coast Guard that the vessel would sink within 10 minutes. The mate and the two deckhands then abandoned ship by leaping over the starboard bow into the ocean. At 1355, the master sent the last radio message from the Miss Penelope, advising the Coast Guard of the vessel’s position at that time. He then abandoned ship. Shortly thereafter, the Miss Penelope capsized.

The master, the mate, and the two deckhands swam toward the life raft, which was tethered to the sinking vessel by the life raft’s sea painter. The master, mate, and one of the deckhands managed to board the life raft. The second deckhand, however, did not make it to the life raft and, within a short time, drifted out of sight of the other crewmembers. The master stated that the second deckhand did not appear to be making an effort to swim toward the life raft. The master stated that the deckhand waved to him and that he appeared to be clutching one of the vessel’s EPIRBs.

As the Miss Penelope sank, the vessel’s rigging became entangled in the life raft’s sea painter and started to pull the raft under water. The mate said that he did not know where the life raft’s knife was located. He unzipped his survival suit enough to free his hands and then used his teeth and hands to untie the sea painter, releasing the life raft from the vessel.

Heavy seas buffeted the life raft. The crewmembers stated that during the first 5 minutes that they were in the raft, the sea toppled it over 8 or 9 times. Each time that the sea turned the raft over, the crewmembers righted it and boarded it again. The crewmembers said that each time the raft was toppled, they were thrown about and collided with each other.

In response to the VHF radio communications from the Miss Penelope’s master, the Coast Guard Air Station at Brooklyn, New York, and the Coast Guard Air Station at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, dispatched three rescue helicopters, which arrived onscene about 1435. A rescue swimmer from one of the helicopters entered the water to assist in rescuing the fishing vessel’s crew. The master and the deckhand in the life raft were hoisted to and put on one helicopter; the mate was hoisted to and put on another. Rescuers located the second deckhand, floating face down and unconscious in the water, about 1 mile downwind from the life raft. He was hoisted to and put on the third helicopter.

About 1505, the Coast Guard rescue helicopters departed the accident scene. The helicopter carrying the master and the first deckhand landed about 1550 at the Coast Guard Air Station in Brooklyn. The master and first deckhand were immediately taken to Coney Island Hospital, New York, where the master was treated for hypothermia and released. The first deckhand was treated for hypothermia and a minor injury to his shoulder, which he suffered while he was thrown about in the raft. The deckhand was then released. The helicopters carrying the unconscious second deckhand and the mate landed at Gabreski Airport in Suffolk County, New York, about 1555. The mate and the second deckhand were immediately taken to Central Suffolk County Hospital in Riverhead, New York. The mate was treated for hypothermia and released. The second deckhand was pronounced dead at the hospital; the cause of death was drowning.

Probable Cause

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Miss Penelope was flooding resulting from an unknown origin while the vessel drifted in heavy seas.

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Introducing the New NAVCEN Maritime Safety Information Application!

Dear Users of the Marine Transportation System,

We’re excited to announce the launch of the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center’s new Maritime Safety Information (MSI) Application! This enhanced platform is designed to improve your access to critical navigation safety information, including Local Notices to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists.

Key Features of the New MSI Application:
• Near-Real-Time Updates: Stay informed with the latest changes and updates.
• GIS Display: Visualize navigation information directly on an interactive map.
• Customizable Searches: Narrow your searches to focus on specific waterways or regions of interest.

The application is available now and ready to support safer, more efficient maritime operations.

Access the New MSI Application:
Click HERE to explore the platform and take advantage of its features.

We’re committed to ensuring mariners have the tools and information they need to navigate safely and effectively. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

NAVCEN’s Upgraded LNM & Light List Application Launching the Week of December 2nd

During the week of December 2nd, the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) will launch its updated Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light List application. The application will feature GIS-based tools, customizable downloads, and GeoJSON integration for enhanced maritime safety information.

The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) is excited to announce the launch of its updated Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light List application during the week of December 2nd, reaffirming our commitment to enhancing access to critical maritime safety information.

This upgraded application allows users to download and print LNMs for entire Coast Guard Districts or define their own area of interest using the GIS tools to zoom in and access localized data. The form section enables users to organize and sort LNMs by waterway or category. For programmatic integration, GeoJSON files will be available to download for data ingestion into other applications.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and are confident this enhanced version will better serve the diverse needs of the maritime community.

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center announces upcoming changes to the Local Notice
to Mariners (LNM) and the Light List, as part of our efforts to modernize and improve the
accessibility, accuracy, and overall user experience for mariners and other stakeholders.

What Is Changing?

1. Transition From Paper Charts: In January 2025, NOAA will discontinue the production
of all paper charts. In alignment with this change, the Coast Guard will transition from
using NOAA Paper Chart Numbers and Editions/Dates for disseminating Marine Safety
Information (MSI) to using Official Waterway Names.

2. How You Will Access LNMs and Light Lists: The LNM and Light List data will now be
available in a geospatial format, which will allow you to visualize information interactively
on a map/chart. You can use your mouse wheel or the +/- buttons in the upper left portion
of the screen to zoom in or out and navigate to your desired area on the map/chart. Once
the area is displayed, you can generate a PDF of the LNM or Light List for that specific area,
which you can then save and/or print. Alternatively, you can use a fillable form on our
website to select your waterway by name from the Light List and generate the LNM or Light
List.

3. LNM and Light List Data Refresh Rate: LNM data will be refreshed every fifteen
minutes. Light List data will be refreshed every 24 hours. This will give you a much more up-to-
date operating picture, designed to enhance your efficiency and improve safety in your
area of transit or planned routes.

4. Elimination of Weekly Files: Weekly LNMs, Weekly Light List Correction Files, Daily
Discrepancy Files, and the Summary of Light List Changes will no longer be published to
focus on providing the most up-to-date and accessible format. In the near future, we will
also publish an Application Programming Interface (API) for interested parties to access the
data externally.

Why Are These Changes Being Made?
The modernization of MSI delivery is designed to improve the U.S. Coast Guard’s aid-to-navigation
data management and dissemination capabilities. By providing frequent
updates, geospatial visualization, and digital access, we hope to achieve our goals of:
• Enhancing Maritime Safety: By delivering the most current and precise information,
mariners can make better-informed decisions, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring
safer navigation.
• Improving Accessibility: The shift to geospatial visualization makes it easier for all users,
from commercial mariners to recreational boaters, to stay informed.
• Increasing Efficiency: The integration of LNM and Light List data into a geospatial format
to simplify the gathering of safety information and facilitate easy route planning.
When Will These Changes Take Effect?
The transition to the modernized LNM and Light List platform (the Navigation Center
website) will be completed by Monday, October 21st.
How to Access the New Features?
Starting October 21st, 2024, you will be able to access the updated Local Notice to
Mariners (LNM) and Light List through the NAVCEN website, with a User Guide available to
assist you. While legacy versions of these products will no longer be produced or posted
after October 31st, previously available versions will remain accessible for download
indefinitely. Additionally, users can now generate updated LNMs in real time, with data
refreshed every 15 minutes.

For any questions or assistance, please visit our Contact Us page, select ‘LNMs or Light
Lists’ from the Subject dropdown, and submit your inquiry.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to enhance the safety and efficiency of
maritime navigation.

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (www.navcen.uscg.gov)

LNM/Light List Application Delay

Good Day,

Availability of the modernized Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs) and Light List (LL) application will be delayed beyond the scheduled 30 September 2024 launch date as a result of Hurricane Helene.

The following legacy products will remain available on the NAVCEN website until 31 October to ensure customers maintain uninterrupted access to MSI products during the transition:

Weekly Local Notices to Mariners (pdf)
Light Lists (pdf)
Daily LNM Discrepancies and Temporary Changes (XML)
Weekly Light List files (PDF, XML)

We are working diligently to reschedule the application’s launch and will provide an update with the new release date as soon as it becomes available.

For questions or comments, you may contact us via our contact us page (please select “LNMs or Light Lists” from the Subject pull-down menu).

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Sincerely,
Navigation Center
U.S. Coast Guard
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists

The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center announces upcoming changes to the Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and the Light List, as part of our efforts to modernize and improve the accessibility, accuracy, and overall user experience for mariners and other stakeholders.

What Is Changing?

Transition From Paper Charts: In January 2025, NOAA will discontinue the production of all paper charts. In alignment with this change, the Coast Guard will transition from using NOAA Paper Chart Numbers and Editions/Dates for disseminating Marine Safety Information (MSI) to using Official Waterway Names.
How You Will Access LNMs and Light Lists: The LNM and Light List data will now be available in a geospatial format, which will allow you to visualize information interactively on a map/chart. You can use your mouse wheel or the +/- buttons in the upper left portion of the screen to zoom in or out and navigate to your desired area on the map/chart. Once the area is displayed, you can generate a PDF of the LNM or Light List for that specific area, which you can then save and/or print. Alternatively, you can use a fillable form on our website to select your waterway by name from the Light List and generate the LNM or Light List.
LNM and Light List Data Refresh Rate: LNM data will be refreshed every fifteen minutes. Light List data will be refreshed every 24 hours. This will give you a much more up-to-date operating picture, designed to enhance your efficiency and improve safety in your area of transit or planned routes.
Elimination of Weekly Files: Weekly LNMs, Weekly Light List Correction Files, Daily Discrepancy Files, and the Summary of Light List Changes will no longer be published to focus on providing the most up-to-date and accessible format. In the near future, we will also publish an Application Programming Interface (API) for interested parties to access the data externally.

Why Are These Changes Being Made?

The modernization of MSI delivery is designed to improve the U.S. Coast Guard’s aid-to-navigation data management and dissemination capabilities. By providing frequent updates, geospatial visualization, and digital access, we hope to achieve our goals of:

Enhancing Maritime Safety: By delivering the most current and precise information, mariners can make better-informed decisions, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring safer navigation.
Improving Accessibility: The shift to geospatial visualization makes it easier for all users, from commercial mariners to recreational boaters, to stay informed.
Increasing Efficiency: The integration of LNM and Light List data into a geospatial format to simplify the gathering of safety information and facilitate easy route planning.

When Will These Changes Take Effect?

The transition to the modernized LNM and Light List platform (the Navigation Center website) will be completed by Monday, September 30^th.

How to Access the New Features?

Starting on September 30^th, 2024, you will be able to access the updated LNM and Light List through the NAVCEN website. A User Guide will be available on the NAVCEN website. Customers will still have the ability to download legacy versions of these products until October 21st.

For any questions or assistance, please visit our Contact Us Page, select ‘LNMs or Light Lists’ from the Subject dropdown, and submit your inquiry.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to improve the safety and efficiency of maritime navigation.

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (www.navcen.uscg.gov)

Navigation Center Website Survey Request

We are eager to understand the primary reason for your visit to the Navigation Center website and how you use it, whether for recreational boating, professional purposes, data requests, educational reasons, or otherwise. Your feedback on the website’s ease of use, ability to find information, and if it’s your primary source for navigation-related information is crucial. We are committed to improving your experience and welcome any suggestions to enhance the site’s usability, information accessibility, and overall efficiency. Your insights are invaluable in helping us better meet your navigation needs.

Survey: Navigation Center Website Feedback Survey (surveymonkey.com)

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center Website Customer Feedback Survey Privacy Notice

Authority: 14 U.S.C. §504; 14 U.S.C §505; and Executive Order 12862.

Purpose: To collect data that will be used to analyze and determine the kind and quality of services customers want and expect, as well as their satisfaction with U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center services. To maintain confidentiality, respondents are advised not to include any personally identifiable information in their responses.

Routine Uses: This survey solicits information that the Coast Guard will use to gauge feedback and improve overall customer service. DHS/ALL/PIA-069 DHS Surveys, Interviews, and Focus Groups provides coverage for this collection.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is strictly voluntary