The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its investigation report into the fire and subsequent sinking of the fishing vessel Master D.
About 0030 local time on August 31, 2018, the Master D was transiting with three crew members in the Gulf of Mexico 45 miles southeast of South Padre Island, Texas, when a fire in the engine room was discovered. After unsuccessfully trying to extinguish the fire, the crew abandoned the vessel without injury. The fire continued to burn until the vessel sank the next day. An oil sheen approximately 400 yards by one mile was visible in the water after the sinking. The estimated property damage exceeded $162,000.
The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the fire aboard the vessel was leaking lube oil from the diesel generator that contacted a hot engine surface and ignited. Contributing to the eventual sinking was the failure of fire-damaged nonmetallic hoses connected to through-hull fittings below the waterline. Continue reading “Leaking lube oil caused sinking of Master D. says NTSB investigation report”
