NKyTribune staff
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a statement regarding the collision of the towing vessel DALE ARTIGUE with the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club.
The statement issued by Lt. Jim Brendel, Supervisor U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Cincinnati indicates the Mate on-watch fell asleep while at the controls. There were two deckhands on-watch at the time, but neither was assigned navigation watch duties.
A portion of the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club complex remained attached to the tow-and-barge combination that crashed into the restaurant and marina hours after the collision. The barge came to rest several yards upriver from the impact site (file photos).
The Coast Guard has initiated administrative enforcement action against the mate’s credentials.
The full statement from the U.S. Coast Guard is included here.
The Coast Guard concluded the marine casualty investigation into the collision of the towing vessel DALE ARTIGUE pushing 15 loaded barges with the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club restaurant and marina on October 2, 2019. The causal factors included the Mate on-watch falling asleep while at the controls thereby failing to maintain a proper watch as the vessel was underway up-bound on the Ohio River at mile marker 474. There were two deckhands on-watch at the time of the incident; however, neither deckhand was assigned navigation watch duties. The Coast Guard has initiated administrative enforcement action against the mate’s Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential; however, the Coast Guard is unable to comment any further on specifics until such time as the enforcement case is adjudicated.
The large tow-and-barge combination struck the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club on the morning of October 2 morning, destroying the iconic complex, a destination for residents throughout Northern Kentucky and beyond.
Lt. Brendel provided an assessment of the collision and the damage at the time of the incident.
“This morning at 6:05, a 1,200-foot tow-and-barge combination on the Ohio River struck the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club Restaurant and Marina, Brendel said. “There was no loss of life or personal injury and no contamination resulted from this incident.
The towboat, later identified as the Dale Artigue, is a seven-year-old vessel owned by Florida Marine Transporters.
A U.S. Coast Guard report indicates a mate fell asleep at the controls, causing the DALE ARTIGUE (shown here) to crash into the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club.
Boats from the marina were cast adrift as a result of the collision and remained moored nearby hours after the incident.
Steve and Andrea Gott, owners of the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club posted this announcement on social media on Oct. 6, expressing thanks and giving hope to the thousands of area residents mourning the loss of the iconic complex.
“Well, as everyone knows we experienced a tragic loss on Wednesday for ourselves our family our wonderful staff and thousands of friends and supporters. LBYC has been our paradise sanctuary for 23 great seasons and we are so sad to watch it be destroyed in five minutes. However, with the support of our family, friends, and loyal customers we are keeping our heads up while we continue to make progress in the cleanup process. We would like to give a huge thank you to all of the crew from local fire departments and police departments, the American Red Cross, the US Coast Guard, Local Environmental Management, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Homeland Security, and all other state and local authorities for the ongoing hours since the incident occurred. Thanks for the overwhelming amount of support, thoughts, and prayers that have been expressed, it has been humbling to the least. Even though we have our hands full at LBYC we (are) maintaining our efforts to open the LAGOON SALOON ( just across the street from LBYC.) We will be open Tuesday, October 8th for lunch at 11 a.m. While the future for LBYC remains unclear and there are a lot of challenges to face, all I can say is thanks from the bottom of our hearts & I WILL BE BACK”
Steve and Andrea Gott
Those wishing to support the Gotts, or share stories about the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club, can visit The Lagoon Saloon, at 859 Elm Street in Ludlow, which they also own.
