On February 8, 2022, about 0725 local time, the construction barge Carolyn Skaves was spudded down in the Willoughby Bay area on the south side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel in Norfolk, Virginia, when the crane operator shifted the position of the onboard crawler crane toward the stern, and the crane toppled off the barge into the water. The crane was later recovered and declared a total constructive loss. An oil sheen was visible after the casualty; there were no injuries reported. The value of the crane was estimated at $2 million.
We determined that that the probable cause of the crane toppling off the deck of the construction barge Carolyn Skaves was the lack of a spotter during a crane movement and the failure of the centerline cable system used to secure the crane to the barge. Contributing was ineffective company oversight of barge operations.
