USCGC Cuyahoga (WIX-157) - Collision and Sinking

Collision and Sinking

On October 20, 1978, the Cuyahoga was the oldest commissioned vessel in Coast Guard service and was conducting a night-time training cruise during clear weather. She was heading north at 12 knots in the Chesapeake Bay off Smith Point Light near the mouth of the Potomac River. At 8:45pm, Officer Candidate Officer of the Deck Earl Fairchild reported sighting a light on the northern horizon. The Commanding Officer, Chief Warrant Officer Donald K. Robinson confirmed this observation and after evaluating the radar contact misidentified the contact as a similarly northbound small vessel, likely a fishing boat turning into the Potomac River at 15,700 yards. In fact, it was the 521 foot Argentinian bulk freighter, M/V Santa Cruz II, loaded with 19,000 tons of coal, bound for San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina traveling south at over 14 knots.

The pilot of the Santa Cruz, John P. Hamill identified the Cuyahoga, and neither he nor the ship's Captain Abdelardo Albornoz were concerned as the two ships appeared to be passing port-to-port. When the two vessels were 1,200 yards apart the Cuyahoga turned west, into the path of the Santa Cruz, to enter the Potomac River to moor for the night. Hamill immediately sounded the Santa Cruz's whistle signaling that he would maintain course and speed and that the cutter should return to its original course. After waiting 30 seconds without any response from the Cuyahoga, Hamill sounded a danger warning of five short blasts.

Robinson still believed the vessel was a small fishing boat and that it was also turning into the Potomac River, sounded his whistle in acknowledgement and turned further west. Robinson realized that he was about to collide with a freighter and ordered "all engines stop," then "full reverse". At 9:07pm, the bulbous underwater bow of the Santa Cruz tore through Cuyahoga's midship, 40 feet from the stern, rolling her over at a 50 degree angle. Robinson had reversed back into the path of the Santa Cruz.

The Cuyahoga sank within two minutes of the collision in 58 feet of water. The cutter's 14-foot utility boat had popped free of the sinking vessel and Boatswains Mate Roger Wild put the injured survivors in the boat. The un-injured clung to the sides of the boat until the freighter had returned to pick up survivors. 11 on board the Cuyahoga were lost, 18 survived.

The Marine Casualty Report, number USCG 16732 / 92368 and dated July 31, 1979, concluded:

"The Commandant has determined that the proximate cause of the casualty was that the commanding officer of the USCGC CUYAHOGA failed to properly identify the navigation lights displayed by the M/V SANTA CRUZ II. As a result he did not comprehend that the vessels were in a meeting situation, and altered the CUYAHOGA's course to port taking his vessel into the path of the SANTA CRUZ II."