The captain of a fishing vessel lost his life Monday, following the capsizing of the boat off the coast of the Philippines. The four remaining crew members were rescued, and taken to a local hospital for treatment. At the time of the incident, the vessel was returning to shore, but caught in bad weather.
It can be dangerous to work in any industry when safety considerations related to dangerous weather conditions are not made. This is especially so when working on a ship. Safe maritime companies must ensure that their ships do not put the lives of their crew members at risk. When employers fail to account for dangerous weather conditions, catastrophic incidents can result. It is unknown if the Master of the vessel was simply unaware of the dangerous weather, or miscalculated the severity. It is unknown what radar equipment the vessel had, or what weather reports the captain may have received from shoreside management. The risks of catastrophic injury and death as a result of sailing into dangerous weather must always be taken into account by safe captains and ship operators. Routes must be carefully planned in order to minimize risk. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by this tragedy.
Spagnoletti Law Firm has handled maritime lawsuits throughout the country on behalf of injured mariners from all over the world. Our attorneys have previously represented the family members of foreign seamen who have lost their lives or been seriously injured in numerous accidents all over the world. Spagnoletti Law Firm has previously represented the family members of Filipino offshore workers who were on the Black Elk Energy offshore oil platform that exploded in 2012. Our lawyers have extensive experience in maritime personal injury and wrongful death litigation and the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured as a result of the negligence of another party.
The experienced and aggressive maritime attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of this tragic accident. There are strict and short time limits on making claims related to vessel accidents, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or to learn more about your rights.