CG WINSLOW GRIESSER

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NTSB: Collision between Winslow Griesser and boat was due to failure to maintain a proper lookout

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that the collision between the 'Winslow Griesser' and the center-console boat Desakata, with two people on board, off the coast of Puerto Rico on Aug 8, 2022, was due to the failure of either vessel to maintain a proper lookout. The accident resulted in one death and a serious injury aboard the boat and its total loss valued at $58,800. Leading up to the collision, neither crew saw the other despite having the opportunity to do so. The investigation found that none of the 'Winslow Griesser'’s 21 crew members was designated solely as a lookout. The NTSB noted that Coast Guard practice was that all members of the bridge watch are responsible for shared lookout duties, however investigators determined no one was maintaining a lookout at the time of the collision. Investigators also found that no one the 'Desakata' was maintaining a proper lookout at the time of the collision, as they were too focussed on fishing. The bridge crew on the 'Winslow Griesser' was not aware of hitting anything until they saw the wreckage of the center-console boat floating down the side of the cutter. The NTSB has recommended that the Coast Guard install voyage data recorders on its cutter fleet to provide additional information on collisions. The NTSB also issued a safety alert encouraging owners of recreational boats and small commercial fishing vessels to improve their vessels’ detectability by installing radar reflectors and using simplified automatic identification system transponders. Contributing factors included the failure of the 'Winslow Griesser'’s commanding officer and officer of the deck to take sufficient measures to increase situational awareness while the cutter was traveling at a high speed. During the investigation, several crew members of the 'Winslow Griesser' declined to speak with NTSB investigators. If the cutter had been equipped with a voyage data recorder, or VDR, the additional data and audio could help identify safety issues, resulting in safety improvements. The Coast Guard’s investigation into the accident, which concluded in July, came to a similar conclusion; that neither the 'Winslow Griesser' nor the 'Desakata' saw one another and, as a result, failed to take appropriate action that could have avoided or reduced the severity of the collision. However, the investigation board failed to factually conclude that the 'Winslow Griesser' failed to maintain a proper lookout, despite evidence that suggested this was the case. The investigation board also determined both vessels failed to maintain a safe speed. Full report with photos: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2314.pdf

Coastt Guard Cutter repatriated 56 migrants

The 'Winslow Griesser' repatriated 56 migrants to the Dominican Republic on June 12 following a makeshift vessel interdiction in Mona Passage waters off the west coast of Puerto Rico. During the interdiction, the Coast Guard Cutter and a Customs and Border Protection marine unit interdicted a 30-foot grossly overloaded makeshift vessel, after it was initially detected by the aircrew of Customs and Border Protection multi-role enforcement aircraft, approximately 24 nautical miles west of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. A Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft also launched and provided air surveillance coverage in support of this case. Following the interdiction, the crew of the 'Winslow Griesser' embarked all 56 adult migrants of which 55 claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals, and one claimed to be Haitian. Report with photo: https://coastguardnews.com/56-repatriated-to-dominican-republic/

US Coast Guard returned 96 boat people to Dominican Navy

The US Coast Guard returned 96 of 102 people to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel on May 16, following three separate interdictions in Mona Passage waters off the west coast of Puerto Rico. The aircrew of a Customs and Border Protection multi-role enforcement aircraft patrolling the Mona Passage Monday, detected three grossly overloaded makeshift migrant vessels on May 15, transiting from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watch standers at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutters 'Winslow Griesser' and 'Joseph Tezanos' to intercept the suspect vessels. The 'Winslow Griesser' interdicted one makeshift vessel and embarked 50 persons, including 41 men, eight women, and a male minor, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals. The 'Joseph Tezanos' interdicted a second vessel with 19 people onboard, 15 men and four women, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals. Cutter Joseph Tezanos also interdicted the third migrant vessel with 33 people onboard, 28 men and three women, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals, and two Haitian men. The cutter’s crew safely embarked all the migrants from these two voyages. The minor in this case remains aboard the cutter pending transfer coordination with Children and Adolescents National Council (CONANI) representatives in the Dominican Republic, as well as five other migrants, who are pending further immigration processing.