Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/57858
CDR Malcolm R. McLellan (right) and LCDR Scott White, members of the Ma- rine Board of Investigation IRU WKH VLQNLQJ RI WKH ¿VK- ing vessel Katmai, view the debris recovered from the sea as well as the sur- vival suits of the victims. U.S. Coast Guard photo by 3HWW\ 2I¿FHU $OO\VRQ ( 7 Conroy. list used to service the raft in 2007 failed to indicate whether the servicing technician inspected or veri- ÀHG WKH SURSHU LQVWDOODWLRQ RI WKH EDOODVW EDJV Several other systems that may have contributed to the failure of the life raft were also found to be ques- tionable: An inspection of the pieces revealed that the canopy, FDQRS\ VXSSRUW DQG ÁRRU SDGV ZHUH GHWDFKDEOH IURP the craft. The primary means of attaching the canopy to the hull was a fabric hook and loop fastener. An inspection of the canopy support indicated that it KDG ULSSHG DZD\ IURP WKH ÁRRU FRQQHFWLRQV FDXVLQJ a seam in the support to separate. Further examina- tion of the life raft indicated that the ballast bags were missing. The heavy seas from the storm may have caused WKH EDJV WR WHDU DZD\ IURP WKH ÁRRU EXW WKHUH ZHUH minimal signs of tearing. The stitching was intact, but an assessment of the remaining bag material did not indicate whether the other bags were torn from the raft or if they had been manually cut. A check- www.uscg.mil/proceedings ■ The compressed gas cylinder that should have been attached to the life raft by means of a cyl- inder harness was missing, though the harness was intact. The cylinder could have only fallen out of the harness if it was improperly installed RU EHFDPH GLVFRQQHFWHG IURP WKH LQÁDWLRQ KRVH allowing it to slide out of the harness. An initial LQVSHFWLRQ RI WKH KRVH VKRZHG WKDW LW ZDV VLJQLÀ- cantly stretched beyond its original length and crushed near the end that would have connected WR WKH LQÁDWLRQ YDOYH DVVHPEO\ ■ 7KH GHJUHH VZLYHO HOERZ WKDW WKUHDGV RQWR WKH LQÁDWLRQ YDOYH DVVHPEO\ DSSHDUHG WR KDYH signs of corrosion on the threads of the stainless steel connector and on the seating surface. The LQÁDWLRQ KRVH ZDV UHSODFHG IROORZLQJ WKH VHUYLF- LQJ LQ 'HFHPEHU EXW WKH GHJUHH VZLYHO Spring 2012 Proceedings 75