One Dead & Two Missing After Tanker Collision in Galveston

Yesterday afternoon, 600-foot chemical tanker Bow Fortune collided with an 80-foot fishing vessel named Pappy’s Pride offshore from Galveston, Texas. The impact caused the fishing vessel to capsize; two fishermen are still missing, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The collision occurred right at the entrance to the Houston-Galveston Ship Channel, near the long granite jetties.

Two response boats were sent to the scene by Sector Houston-Galveston, which recovered two crew members from the fishing vessel with the help of a Good Samaritan vessel. Both were given emergency care. One of the rescued fishermen later died.

The cause of the collision is still unknown. As of this writing, the U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its search for the missing fishermen.

The Bow Fortune is a 20-year-old chemical tanker from Norway. Last night, she was moored along a pier in Galveston.

The Galveston-Houston Ship Channel

The ship channel where this collision occurred is the primary conduit for ocean-going vessels traveling from Houston into the Gulf of Mexico. In recent years, it has seen elevated levels of traffic, both from ocean-going vessels and inland barges. The ship channel serves the Port of Houston, one of the busiest seaports in the world. The channel is crowded enough that there are special maneuvers known among mariners for navigating safely around other ships. Just last May, there was a vessel collision in the Houston Ship Channel near Bayport, which resulted in a chemical spill.

We hope that the two missing fishermen are found. Our hearts go out to the families of the people harmed in this tragic collision, and we hope the authorities find out what happened to prevent it from happening again.