Summary of Witness Statement.*! Date Statement Given: Witness Name: Unit: Date/Time/Place of Incident: Crew Position at time of Incident: 28 Mar 06
I, BM2, USCG
• • • • • • 0 1 UC SG
MSST91 111 (Anchorage) 25 Mar 07, Puget Sound, IVO Vashon, Washington Boat Coxswain, CG 25501
entered the USCG in 1999 and was initially stationed onJJSCGC POINT BRIDGE(WPB82338). AfterattendingJP"A" School, PO^t/Bwas stationed at
H H B B H H V a n d thentfPHBBHBHIwhere he made E-5/PO2. In March 2002 PO.iBfcwas assigned to PATFORSWA in Bahrain. I n - M B B B B B W W i ^^^ PO QH§also received an LOC for
t repair ot unit radios. In 2007, POff^requested MSST Anchorage and changed ratings to Boatswain's Mate (BM). On Saturday, 24 Mar 2007, P O f ^ V w a s not on duty having been excused due to a medical situation with his grandmother. This absence was approved by the DTL, ENS
| H i PO's-PBpandlBBWfilledinforPOfBB PO(f0§did not feel that the
situation with his grandmother affected him detrimentally. On Sunday 25 Mar 2007, POPHPawoke at 0900-0930. PO-fBBmet the other membersof the crew on 25501 and 25493 in the lobby of the Holiday Inn at approximately 1200. After retrieving weaponsfromtheir location on USCGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10), the crews met on the pier for a brief from the DTL, ENS | Some of the members of the crew were upset because the morning crews had not completed any escorts but had spent the morning on Lake Washington. P O p B P received his trip ticket from E N S ^ ^ P a n d it called for 4 ferry escorts and as many critical infrastructure patrols as possible during the 1300-2000 patrol. Upon getting underway PO I^QRnet up with the 25493 in Elliott Bay and conferred with the Coxswain, POpHBontibepatrol activities. Who would serve as Patrol Commander was not discussedbutfPMfcleferred to P O f m P d u e to his experience. The agreed course of action was to proceed to Vashon to conduct escorts followed by lunch. CG 25501 and 25493 proceeded to Vashon and picked up an east bound ferry en route Fauntleroy, WA. During this escort PO f f H B w a s in the bow manning the forward gun, PO Gill was in the Nav/Comms seat manning the radio and PO(ff/§was sitting in one of the aft cabin seats with the stern watch. During the initial westbound escort, PO executed several "J" type power turns.
to em m e ^ b forward gunner position; however, POj because he was the new guy.
(took it easy
After completing the first escort, the 25501 and 25493 picked up a westbound ferry that was preparing to depart Fauntleroy, WA, OOA 1400 local. loted that PO Gill enjoyed riding in the forward gunner position...he liked being where the action was. POfBJpnoted that PO Gill was bored in the cabin and, after commencing the second run, PO Gill asked permission from PO! Ito relieve PO
Iof4
Summary of Witness S t u t c m c n t : f H H H B B i
BM2
'
USCG
tne flH0at forward gunner position saying," let me go out, let me go out." Upon approval from the Coxswain, PO Gill departed the cabin via the port side window and proceeded to the bow area to relieve POfHHH-
PO U n s t a t e d that there was no standard procedure or equipment for communication with the forward gun position. At approximately the same time as PO Gill relieving the forward gun, the escorted ferry initiated communications with CG 25493 and notified them that they were conducting a man overboard drill. P O f m ^ c k n o w l e d g e d this transmission. At this time, CG 25493 was on the starboard quarter and CG 25501 was on the port quarter of the ferry vessel as it began slowing down. CG 25501 had no visual of the CG 25493 at this time. After the Ferry came down and PO Gill had relieved the forward gunner, PO ^ outboard, to port, and proceeded east. POSH)noticed a sailing vessel that was crossing the stern of the ferry heading north. PO ^ d slowed and trained on the ferry with the forward gun remaining in the "ready air" position. As the ferry concluded the drill and began to come up to speed. The CG 25493 established communications with a MSST Seattle boat operating in the area and the MSST Seattle boat notified CG 25493 that they would intercept the sailing vessel. One of the two boats from MSST and Station Seattle intercepted the S/V as the ferry completed the drill and began to come up to speed. PO Gill gave a whirly-bird signal with his hand and PO p(pproceeded to a position off the ferry's port bow. After noting that the forward portside of the vessel was clear, P O ^ f l | executed a "J" type power turn to port and proceeded down the side of the ferry towards its stern. POfPJPproceeded down the side of the vessel until abeam of the stern. PO fB-Vuses the stern of the escorted vessel to gauge his turns because if he goes past a position abeam of the stern, at the ferry's transit speed, he will be outside of the zone by the time his turn is completed. PO .JHBalso stated that by turning at the stern he is able to avoid any interference on the boat's performance from the escorted vessel's wake. PO •Jd^always turns outboard to ensure maximum readiness to engage incoming targets and protect theengines which are vulnerable if a turn is executed towards the escorted vessel. PO W s t a t e d that he was traveling at approximately 25-30 knots at the time he came abeam of the ferry's stern at which time he executed a "J" type power turn to starboard. The ferry's wake did not affect the rum. As PO jp^commenced his turn, he came down a couple hundred RPMs on the throttles to sink the bow and ensure the performance chine was in the water to avoid "lock". Trim was down. PO (((pdescribed "chine lock" as a phenomenon that occurs when the boats performance chine comes out of the water in a turn. When it reenters the water and catches it is like "hopping a curb" when a car's wheels unintentionally strike a curb. This occurred during the starboard turn. PO ^H^was looking to starboard, the direction of the turn, when he caught PO Gill's feet going over the side in hisperipheral vision and the other members of his crew shouted "man overboard". PO Ul^mmediately came down on his throttles and straightened out. He immediately transmitted "man overboard" on channel 21A including a position in latitude and longitude. PO -fHPalso sent POs .land flH^o the back deck of the boat. PO ((drecalled initially seeing PO Gill
2 of 4
fin istofn H d under 5 O.S.C. Section BfflXip