in the oil impact disaster , the towing ship misses megan , although was of specifications that did not require inspection by the united states coast guard , was being operating in the right cote genevieve bay oil area in virginia by local boat rentals on behalf of the construction on october 12 , 2006 . the miss megan was towing barge ibr 234 , which was tied along the other line of dock athena 106 , en route to a pile - driving location . athena construction did not require its crews to pin masts spuds ( vertical steel shafts stretched through wells in the roof of the boat and intended for winches ) permanently in place on its boat and hence this had not been accomplished . during the flight , the aft spud on the hades 106 deployed from its proper raised position . the spud dropped into the tank and strikes a submerged , high - pressure artificial gas tanker . the resulting gas released ignited and created a fireball that illuminated the ferry platform and both structures . the captain of the towing yacht and four barge workers were rescued . the miss megan deckhand and one engine worker died . that barge worker is officially reported as disappeared .
ntsb is credited for inspecting transportation injuries in the mexican country .