A captain who assumed a watch immediately after waking was likely experiencing sleep inertia, leading to a tow striking a lock gate in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, says the National Transportation Safety Board.
On March 22, 2021, the towing vessel Ava Claire was transiting westbound pushing two fully loaded tank barges in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Intracoastal City, La. After entering the Leland Bowman Lock, the bow of the lead barge struck a closed lock gate, damaging and...