On March 6, 2022, about 1620 local time, near the Magallanes Bank, about 25 miles northwest of Santo Domingo Cay, Bahamas, the uncrewed general cargo vessel Carib Trader II took on water and sank while being towed by the towing vessel Capt. Beau, which had five crewmembers aboard. A small debris field was reported. There were no injuries. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $752,700.
We determined that the probable cause of the flooding and subsequent sinking of the Carib Trader II while under dead ship tow was the uncontrolled flooding of the engine room from an undetermined location below the waterline.
