Injuries Reported in Maritime Accident Near Sabine Jetties

Several crew members were reported injured after a vessel ran aground near the Sabine Jetties near Port Arthur, Texas, recently.

According to the Coast Guard, its officers from Sector Houston-Galveston were asked to respond to the site of the grounded vessel. The MV Ms. Pearl ran aground on the west side of the Sabine Jetties. There were four crew members on the vessel, and all of them are reported to have suffered injuries. A rescue crew including a dispatch helicopter was sent to the scene of the accident to assist the crew members. The four crewmembers were hoisted to safety, and were airlifted to a hospital.

The accident also resulted in an oil spill. The Coast Guard has confirmed that 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled from the vessel. The agency has already launched salvage and pollution response efforts.

The Ms. Pearl is a 135-foot boat which is owned and operated by Seacor Marine. The agency has begun an investigation into the causes of the accident. At this point, there is no information about the severity of the crewmembers’ injuries.

However, it is also important to note that workers involved in a maritime accident may be at a high risk of severe trauma and anxiety even when their physical injuries are moderate.  Often, workers who have survived a maritime accident may suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. The symptoms of PTSD can range from nightmares to anxiety and flashbacks. PTSD can severely impact the quality of a person’s life, and can lead to depression, and severe feelings of social alienation.

The maritime law lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers  represent injured maritime workers in accidents across Texas.