On May 13, 2024, about 1657 local time, the towing vessel Baylor J. Tregre was towing the ocean barge MARMAC 27 in the Gulf of America, about 23 miles south of Galveston, Texas, when the towing vessel capsized and sank. All four crewmembers abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the US Coast Guard. One crewmember sustained minor injuries. There was no pollution reported. Damage to the towing vessel was estimated at $2 million.
We determined that the probable cause of the capsizing and sinking of the towing vessel Baylor J. Tregre was the mate’s inability to maneuver the tow into the wind due to the overwhelming towline force generated by the towed barge during the sudden onset of severe weather, resulting in unrecoverable heeling.
