On November 9, 1983, the U.S. offshore supply vessel LAVERNE HEBERT departed Port O'Connor, Texas, with a load of deck cargo bound for an oil drilling rig off the Texas coast. Sometime during the night the LAVERNE HEBERT capsized, and five of its six crewmembers were killed. Damage to the vessel, including salvage costs, has been estimated at $1.2 million. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the capsizing and sinking of the LAVERNE HEBERT was the failure of the master to maintain his vessel's watertight integrity by insuring that the starboard stack enclosure door leading from the main deck to the engineroom was closed. The open door resulted in the flooding of the engineroom, which reduced vessel stability and ultimately resulted in the capsizing of the vessel. Contributing to the loss of life were the suddeness of the capsizing, the failure of the emergency position indicating radiobeacon to function effectively, and the failure of the liferafts to deploy and inflate.
Marine Accident Report - Capsizing of the U.S. Offshore Vessel LAVERNE HERBERT Gulf of Mexico, November 9-10, 1983
1984
42 pages
Report
No indication
English