Real Life Incident: Tug Capsizes With 2 Fatalities

A small passenger vessel was approaching port after conducting post-refit sea trials and a pilot had embarked for the docking. The plan, as discussed between the Master and the pilot, was to turn the vessel 180 degrees and enter the confined dock area with the assistance of one tug forward and one aft, berthing the vessel starboard side.

The pilot took the con, and slow ahead on both engines was ordered. The Master inquired what speed was required for the aft tug to connect; the pilot responded that they could go up to 7kts and noted that slow ahead had just been ordered.

The passenger ship passed Number 1 Buoy and entered the main navigational channel at a speed of 6 knots. The pilot called the Master of the aft tug on VHF radio, directing them to approach and pass the tug’s bridle to the aft mooring party on the passenger vessel.

The pilot remained on the bridge, and the Master went to the starboard bridge wing to watch the tug make its approach. The aft tug matched the passenger vessel’s speed, and the mooring party pulled the towlines on board.

About three minutes later, dead slow ahead on both engines was ordered on the passenger vessel. Shortly afterwards, it was reported that the two lines of the aft tug’s bridle had been made fast on the port and starboard side of the passenger vessel’s poop deck. The forward …

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