Cruise Ship Hits U.S. Coast Guard With Lawsuit For Negligence

The U.S. Coast Guard was smacked with a law suit this week, and it’s not looking good in their favor.

On the evening of December 9th, the Thriller, a vessel which was making a holiday harbor cruise, was sailing peacefully when it was struck by a speeding Coast Guard ship that didn’t have proper operational lights on.

Turns out, two Coast Guard ships were racing one another on dark waters. They were speeding and very hard to spot since they both didn’t have their lights on. One of them struck the Thriller which carried 22 people aboard at the time.

Plaintiffs Mark A. Fox and Barbara Fox operate Pegasus Charters, the company in which the Thriller operates. According to the plaintiffs, the Coast Guard inspected their vessel and is aware of its soundness and features, including LED lights, proving that the Thriller was clearly visible on the water.

The Fox’s are suing the Coast Guard, the U.S. and the Department of Homeland Security and are seeking damages for negligence, property damage, lost profits, interference with contract, and exoneration from or limitation of liability from passengers’ injury claims.

In the complaint, it states the sole cause of the collision, the damages, and the personal injuries of its passengers was the negligence of the U.S. Coast Guard vessel in failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to maintain speed, failure to appreciate the risk of collision, failure to follow navigation rules, failure to take appropriate action, operating after dusk without required navigational and operational lights, using personal communications devices instead of attending urgently to their duties, and failure to otherwise operate their vessel in a safe and prudent manner.

Negligence on the water is one of the most dangerous and most preventable attributes for accidents. Proper lights, proper use of navigational tools, and obvious responsibilities are crucial. When accidents like this happen, especially from the Coast Guard which is supposed to be our leaders on the water, we must quickly remind ourselves of the dangers.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed on the water, contact V&B for free information and a free evaluation. Toll Free: 888-473-1258.