The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation, has released an investigation report on the collision between containership MSC Rita and fishing vessel Tremont, that occurred on October 28, 2022.
On October 28, 2022, about 0036 local time, the containership MSC Rita and the fishing vessel Tremont were underway in the Atlantic Ocean, 55 miles southeast of Chincoteague, Virginia, when the two vessels collided. The 13 people aboard the Tremont abandoned the vessel and were rescued by Good Samaritan vessels and a US Coast Guard helicopter. No injuries were reported. An oil sheen was reported; a potential of up to 31,000 gallons of diesel fuel were lost with the fishing vessel. Damage to the vessels was estimated at $4.75 million (Tremont) and $1.5 million (MSC Rita).
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the collision between the containership MSC Rita and the fishing vessel Tremont was the Tremont mate not maintaining a proper lookout and keeping the autopilot engaged while troubleshooting the vessel’s gyrocompass, which resulted in the vessel turning into the path of the MSC Rita.