The sinking of the Scandies Rose in the Gulf of Alaska was a true tragedy. The disaster and following rescue of some of the crew was a rough start to 2020 for all involved. This crabbing boat was overwhelmed by harsh weather conditions and sank. Some sat there were mechanical failures that were avoidable or poor management decisions that led to the accident. Either way, most of the crew paid for it with their lives.
What Happened?
Inclement weather covered the Scandies Rose with water that quickly froze and weighed down the ship. Ice is known to cling to the light crab pots used for gathering crabs. This ice quickly compounds and has a risk of tipping or sinks vessels. There is a limit to the number of crab pots that can be held on board, designated by maritime law. The Scandies Rose was under the limit, but conditions proved too severe.
30-foot swells tossed the 130-foot boat around, as freezing gales buffeted the crew and cargo. The gathering ice pulled the boat onto its side, and it began to go under stern-first.
Late at night on New Year’s Eve, right before the tumultuous year of 2020 began, the crew of the Scandies Rose was thrust into the dark ocean.
The Fallout
Only two members of the Scanties Rose crew survived the disaster. Dean Gribble Jr. and Jon Lawler managed to put on survival suits before a wave swept them into the sea. They eventually made their way to a life raft that had not sunk, and they waited on board until they were rescued.
Gribble and Lawler lit the lifeboat’s emergency light and held on. After a time, the lights ran out of battery, leaving them in the dark. A helicopter luckily found them around dawn on New Year’s Day. Neither man has been able to return to their career of fishing.
In a since-deleted YouTube video, Gribble spoke out against the quality of the safety equipment onboard the vessel. An emergency beacon failed to signal the boat’s location to their rescuers, delaying aid.
The rest of the crew, five people, all perished in the Scandies Rose disaster: the experienced captain and his son, the boat’s engineer, and two crabbers.
Settlement
The families of those who were victims of the Scandies Rose disaster hired a maritime injury lawyer to help them cover their expenses and hardships due to the accident. They claimed, and the survivors attest, that the ship’s owners should have taken more safety precautions in the poor weather. Some aspects of the ship had not been tested thoroughly before its long final voyage was attempted.
The settlement ended up being for more than $9 million, although it was not reached for almost a year. A U.S. District Court trial was planned for the spring of 2021 to finally determine the amount of the damages, but this was avoided through negotiation and mediation.
Federal maritime law is what determines the size of damages paid out for injuries at sea for both workers and passengers. In this type of accident, the liability was limited to the value of the sunken vessel, which was essentially nothing. Cases like this are where the U.S. District Court tends to step in to help those involved reach a fair conclusion.
Know the Risks
The Scandies Rose is not the only Alaskan crab boat to sink in recent memory. The heavy icing conditions weighed down and sank another boat, the Destination, back in 2017. Fishing is the second most dangerous profession in the United States.
Other recent fatal boat accidents involve the Table Rock duck boat sinking that killed 17 people in 2018. The sinking of the Ethan Allen tour boat in 2005 saw 20 of its 47 passengers lose their lives, and cause some reform in the operation of commercial passenger vessels. Any mode of transportation carries some inherent risk, so it is important to be vigilant and understand what to do in emergency situations. Maybe, with knowledge and reform, some disasters like the Scandies Rose can be avoided.
About the author:
Michelle Eddy is a staunch consumer advocate, fresh libertarian convert, and proud mother of three. Besides her legal career, she enjoys blogging about topics related to her expertise and life experiences, like parenting, child development, education, and law. In her writings, Michelle places emphasis on helping people to fight for their rights. She also works as a collaborative editor for Laborde Earles Law Firm. Her favorite quote is: “Sir, we are out numbered 10 to 1″. “Then, it is a fair fight”.
