A Marine Forensic Analysis of Fishing Vessel LADY MARY Available to Purchase

Fishing Vessel LADY MARY sank on the morning of March 24, 2009, and this paper outlines the marine forensic analysis performed by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation to determine the causal factors. The condition of the sunken vessel included significant damage to the vessel’s rudder, propeller and stern ramp, which was extensively documented by commercial divers and a Remotely Operated Vehicle. U.S. Navy divers recovered the vessel’s rudder, GPS units and computer. The evidence obtained from the sunken vessel was systematically evaluated in conjunction with other information obtained from the sole survivor of the casualty, the vessel’s Shore Manager, pre-casualty photographs, a shipyard drawing of the vessel, vessel tracking systems, and a computer modeled stability analysis. Based on the forensic analysis, a number of sinking scenarios were eliminated and a probable sequence of events surrounding the sinking of LADY MARY was developed.