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Ex-boat crew sues owners over finger amputation
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Posted on Jan 29 2009
A former crew of a boat that transports divers to diving spots on Saipan filed a lawsuit in federal court yesterday over the amputation of his left index finger due to an accident aboard the vessel.
Norris Osiik Omengkar sued the Marianas Aqua Sports Marine Corp., APRA Dive and Marine Sports Inc., and five unnamed co-defendants, for negligence.
Omengkar, through lawyer Bruce Berline, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to hold the defendants liable to pay him damages, attorney’s fees, and court costs.
Omengkar was hired by Marianas Aqua Sports as a seaman assigned to serve as a member of the crew aboard the vessel Splash II.
Berline said APRA and Marianas Aqua Sports are the owners or operators of the vessel.
The lawyer said that on Oct. 11, 2008, the vessel was used by the defendants to transport 10 people, including Omengkar, to a dive spot in the waters near Managaha Island.
That day, Berline said, plaintiff’s duties required him to tie the boat to a mooring located in the waters near Managaha Island in order to allow the passengers to begin their dive.
While placing the mooring line on the boat’s cleat, the mooring line tightened, trapping Omengkar’s left index finger.
The finger was severely lacerated.
“Medical personnel attempted to save plaintiff’s finger through various surgical procedures; however, those procedures were unsuccessful and the distal phalanx of plaintiff’s left index finger was amputated,” Berline said.
The lawyer alleged that at the time the mooring line caught and lacerated Omengkar’s finger, the boat was overcrowded with people and or equipment.
