About 0842, e.s.t., on March 4, 1979, the outbound Greek cargo ship M/V STAR LIGHT and the inbound U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS FRANCIS MARION (LPA-249) collided at the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay about 15 nmi east of Norfolk, Virginia. The bow of the STAR LIGHT struck amidship on the starboard side of the FRANCIS MARION. There were no deaths; however, three naval personnel were injured in the accident. Damage to the vessels was estimated at about $3.5 million. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the master of the STAR LIGHT to comply with the starboard-to-starboard passing agreement that was made with the FRANCIS MARION. Contributing to the accident were the failure of the STAR LIGHT's navigation watch to plot the radar data, and the relatively high closing speeds of both vessels.
Marine Accident Report: Collision of M/V STAR LIGHT (Greek) and the USS FRANCIS MARION, Norfolk, Virginia - March 4, 1979
1979
27 pages
Report
No indication
English
Transportation Safety , Marine & Waterway Transportation , Cargo ships , Amphibious assault ships , Accident investigations , Collisions , Chesapeake Bay , Radar navigation , Naval vessels , Ship accidents , Star Light vessel(Greece) , Francis Marion vessel , Norfolk(Virginia) , Speed , Human factors
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