Quote Originally Posted by Wiskers View Post
Another thing to consider is... An old law, (The Jones Act), limits a company's liability to the value of the vessel & its cargo. Another issue will be that the vessel was under a government contract. This will get politics involved. Gonna be interesting.
So that is why the law suit contains a statement of the value of the vessel. IIRC, one of the news reports said there were two Tennessee River pilots onboard.

I kind of imagine the suit is more to get their ducks in a row for what is coming rather than an actual attempt to avoid blame.

I just can't get over the fact that the pilot house was right at the front and would have been the first thing that hit the bridge. As tight as that ship fit under the correct span, I'd have been all over the spotlight making sure I was reading the water level gauge, which is out where they should have been going under.

Not having any experience with it, I'm thinking that the lights being out is no excuse. If the lights are out or confusing, I'm making dang sure I know what span I'm supposed to go under. Looking at my chart, my radar and hitting it with the spotlight.

You could guess at the span if you had 30' of clearance under the correct span, but not when you are that close.