Cellphone Use and Lack of Proper Lookout Leads to Fatal Vessel Collision in…

​​WASHINGTON (August 6, 2026) - The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that distraction and failure to maintain a proper lookout caused a 2024 fatal collision ​ between a bulk carrier and towing vessel near Lynchburg, Texas.

The bulk carrier Yangze 7 and the towing vessel Miss Peggy collided on July 19, 2024, while both were inbound in the Houston Ship Channel. The Miss Peggy capsized and sank with five crewmembers on board. Four crewmembers, one of which sustained serious injuries, were recovered by a good Samaritan vessel and the fifth crewmember was later found deceased in the wreckage.

NTSB investigators found the pilot who was directing the movement of the Yangze 7 had been on a non-operational phone call with another pilot, who was directing the movement of another vessel, for 39 minutes before the collision, distracting him from his duties. The call ended two minutes and 16 seconds before the collision. This distraction resulted in the pilot being unaware of the presence of the Miss Peggy.

​The NTSB issued two safety recommendations: one to the U.S. Coast Guard and one to the American Pilots' Association. The NTSB recommended the U.S. Coast Guard prohibit the nonoperational use of personal electronic devices by persons directing the movement of a vessel through the waterways under its jurisdiction. The NTSB also recommended the American Pilots' Association develop and implement guidance prohibiting nonoperational use of personal electronic devices by pilots actively directing the movement of a vessel and to encourage their member associations to adopt such guidance in their operational rules and policies.

The NTSB determined that distraction by personal electronic devices was either a contributing factor or the probable cause in at least 10 marine casualties between 2009 and 2024, killing three and injuring 45.

​Left to right: The Yangze 7 underway in 2017 and the Miss Peggy underway in 2013. (Source: Aart van Bezoojien, marinetraffic.com, and Duncan Williams, marinetraffic.com)

​Both vessels also did not maintain a proper lookout while transiting. The captain of the Miss Peggy did not detect the Yangze 7 approaching from astern, and the bridge team of the Yangze 7 did not detect the Miss Peggy until the towboat was less than a ship's length ahead. Regulations and long-standing prudent maritime practice require a proper lookout, by all available means, for safe navigation.

Marine Investigation Report 26-24 and the safety recommendations are available online.