Crew member dies in Houston Canal sinking

The 50’x20′ tugboat Miss Peggy was refloated from the Houston Ship Channel after a crew member died July 19 when the boat capsized after a possible collision with a passing vessel, according to the Coast Guard and local media.

Five people were aboard the Miss Peggy when it overturned shortly before 3 p.m. in eastern Harris County, a half-mile from the Lynchburg ferry landing.

Good Samaritans were credited with helping to recover four crew members from the water, while Coast Guard boats, a helicopter and the Harris County Dive Team continued to search for the missing crew member, according to the Coast Guard and the Harris County Sheriff’s Department.

The deceased crew member was located on Saturday and the salvage was underway on Sunday for the tugboat, owned by Passenger Transportation Services in Houstona division of Marine Ingram.

The Coast Guard was investigating the accident. On his YouTube channel, mmaritime historian Sal Mercogliano of What’s happening with shipping? noted that AIS data showed that Miss Peggy was near the edge of the channel while the 656’x106′ bulk carrier Yangtze 7 was passing nearby, suggesting that it may have capsized as a result of this encounter.