1962 — Oct 20, Collision/fire, tanker Boheme & barge Parker, MS River ~Lutcher, LA–  20

— 20  Bugbee. “Fire Protection Developments in 1962.” NFPA Quarterly, 56/3, Jan 1963, p. 197.

— 20  Monroe News-Star, LA. “Hope Dims for Finding Bodies Still Missing.” 10-23-1962, 2-A.

— 20  USCG. Commandant’s Action…collision…BOHEME…Barge PARKER 102-25…, 1963.

— 20  NFPA. “Multiple-Death Fires of 1962. Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 4, April 1963, p. 295.[1]

— 13  NFPA. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).^[2]

— 11  NFPA. “Multiple-Death Fires of 1962. Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 4, April 1963, p. 316.[3]

Narrative Information

USCG: “….2. At 0340, 20 October 1962, the Norwegian tankship Boheme collided the Tank Barge Parker 102-25, the lead barge of the tow being pushed by the diesel towboat Bonnie D in the lower Mississippi River near Mile 149.6 ahead of passes, slightly below Laura Light….

 

“4.  Prior to and at the time of the collision the wind was nearly calm, visibility restricted by haze to about one and a half to two miles. There was no fog of any consequence. The river current was one-half to three-quarter mile per hour.

 

“5.  The Boheme was enroute Baton Rouge to Rotterdam with 46 crewmembers, two passengers, and 12,101 tons of combustible liquid cargo. Speed with one-half knot following current was about 10 knots over the bottom. The ship was about mid-river as it approached the bend at Laura Light shortly after 0330. As St. Elmo Light drew abeam to port, the green lights of the Bonnie D and tow were sighted about 20 to 30 degrees on the port bow at a distance of about one and one-half miles. After initial sighting, the rudder of the Boheme was placed 10 degrees left to change course to conform to the channel. Witnesses of the Boheme testified that about the time the rudder order was given a two-blast whistle signal was heard from the Bonnie D. The signal was interpreted as a proposal for a starboard to starboard passing and was immediately answered. The rudder of the Boheme remained 10 degrees left as the vessels closed. The relative bearing of the Bonnie D decreased and the vessels were in a near head and head situation at a distance of about 600 feet when a one-blast whistle signal followed by a four-blast danger signal was heard from the Bonnie D. The red light of the Bonnie D was seen and the tow, for the first time, reached a relative bearing slightly on the starboard bow of the Boheme. The rudder was ordered hard left and the engine full astern. Less than half of a minute later, at 0340, the starboard bow of the Boheme struck the bow section of the Parker 102-25 at about a 20-degree angle.

 

“6.  The diesel powered towboat, Bonnie D, enroute Ostrica, Louisiana to Mayersville, Mississippi, pushing four tank barges ahead in tandem, containing a combined total of 80,500 barrels of crude oil, was upbound in the Mississippi River making good about five or six miles per hour. The Bonnie D is not subject to Coast Guard inspection. The Master and Pilot on watch held Merchant Mariner’s documents endorsed for Tankerman. However, neither held a license issued by the Coast Guard to serve as Master, Mate or Pilot. After passing Lutcher Ferry the flotilla was near mid-channel but slightly toward the left descending bank. At about 0336 the lights of the Boheme were sighted in the vicinity of St. Elmo’s Point bearing about 40 degrees relative on the starboard bow. The Pilot of the Bonnie D testified he was unable to determine the type of vessel or its intention and because it was hazy he sounded a three-blast whistle signal to point out to the other vessel that he was there. He further testified that one or two minutes after initial sighting he sounded a one-blast whistle signal. He heard no whistle signals from the Boheme at any time. A passing agreement was not reached. When the Boheme was about one mile distant the rudders were placed 5 degrees right resulting in a slight starboard swing. As the vessels closed, the course and speed remained virtually unchanged. The lights of the Boheme drifted to the left. Finally, the Pilot recognized the range lights of the Boheme slightly on his port bow and assumed that the ship was attempting to pass between the tow and the left descending bank. Seconds before collision the danger signal was sounded, the rudders placed full left and the engines stopped. The Boheme struck the bow section of the lead barge, Parker 102-25, shearing off a portion of the starboard bow which penetrated and remained in the Boheme.

 

“7.  Fire occurred immediately and ignited a large pool of crude oil released from the lead barge. The Boheme, engines stopped and reacting to full left rudder, pivoted over the burning oil and grounded nearly perpendicular to the left descending bank. The forward and after spaces of the tanker burned; however, the bulk liquid cargo did not ignite. After the Bonnie D had backed well clear of the fire, the lead barge sank by the bow, grounding the tow.

 

“8. As a result of the fire, twenty crewmembers of the Boheme either died or are missing and presumed dead.

Remarks

 

“….2. Concurring with the Board it is concluded that the primary cause of this casualty was the failure of the Bonnie D to reach a passing agreement. In the absence of a passing agreement the Bonnie D failed to recognize the dangerous situation developing and to take timely action to avoid collision.

 

“3.  Further concurring with the Board, the Boheme, although it approached the point of collision on the assumption that a starboard to starboard passing agreement had been reached, failed to recognize a dangerous situation developing and to take timely and sufficient measures to ensure a safe passing.

 

“4. It is considered that the responsibility for this casualty rests solely with the Pilots of the two vessels….

 

“6. The Board’s recommendation concerning the evidence of negligence on the part of the Pilot of the Bonnie D is approved.

 

(USCG. Commandant’s Action on Marine Board of Investigation; collision of the M/V BOHEME (Norwegian) and the Tank Barge PARKER 102-25… 1963, pp. 1-2.)

 

Newspaper

 

Oct 23: “Lutcher, LA. (AP) – Chances of finding three bodies still missing out of the 20 killed in the Mississippi River tanker-barge collision appeared dim today. However, the search aboard the burned wreckage of the Norwegian tanker Boheme continued. It was believed the three missing persons were completely cremated when the tanker collided with barges carrying fuel oil Saturday near Lutcher, resulting in repeated explosions and fires on the Boheme. Searchers recovered four more bodies from the tanker’s innards Monday, and one crewman severely burned died in a hospital, boosting the death toll to 20….

 

“Workers finally extinguished the last flames on the 13,500-ton tanker – which was carrying explosive chemicals – Sunday night, about 36 hours after the pre-dawn collision.

 

“In all, 29 of about 50 persons aboard the tanker were hurt. Only one remained in a hospital…reported ‘doing very well.’….” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Hope Dims for Finding Bodies Still Missing.” 10-23-1962, 2-A.)

 

Sources

 

Bugbee, Percy (NFPA General Manager). “Fire Protection Developments in 1962.” NFPA Quarterly, 56/3, Jan 1963, p. 197.

 

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX. “20 Feared Dead in Ship Collision.” 10-21-1962, p. 1. Accessed 11-7-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199500328

 

Monroe News-Star, LA. “Hope Dims for Finding Bodies Still Missing.” 10-23-1962, 2-A. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199206339&sterm=boheme+parker

 

National Fire Protection Association. “Multiple-Death Fires of 1962. Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 56, No. 4, April 1963, pp. 295-317.

 

National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)

 

United States Coast Guard. Commandant’s Action on Marine Board of Investigation; collision of the M/V BOHEME (Norwegian) and the Tank Barge PARKER 102-25 in tow of the Towboat BONNIE D, lower Mississippi River, on 20 October 1962, with loss of life. Washington DC: Treasury Dept., Commandant USCG, June 26, 1963, 18 pages.  Accessed at:  http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/docs/boards/boheme.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

[1] “…the collision of a string of oil barges and an oil tanker in the Mississippi River on October 20…killed 20 persons.”

[2] Can only speculate that this incorrect number was based on early reporting or incorrect data entry. Reporting on Oct 21 was of one man killed and 19 others “feared dead below decks.” (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX. “20 Feared Dead in Ship Collision.” 10-21-1962, p. 1.) As can be seen, other NRPA reporting is of 20 fatalities.

[3] “…on October 20 in the Mississippi River…a Norwegian tanker struck a string of four oil barges in the fog. Eleven men are known dead and nine others were lost and are presumed dead.” Note that on page 295 it is noted that the collision “killed 20 persons.”