Abstract: On April 19, 2010, Employee #1 was working as a trip pilot and a coworker was working as a deckhand on a triple screw, diesel powered, three-deck towboat known as the Misty Dawn. The two-man crew was hired to transport a barge from Ashland, Kentucky to the Winfield, West Virginia area via the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. While in route, the barge sank and was pushed to the side of the river and secured. Employee #1 contacted the US Coast Guard (USCG) to inform them of the sunken barge. The USCG instructed the crew to pilot the Misty Dawn to a nearby plant where they would meet and gather information. Upon arrival at the plant, the USCG boarded the Misty Dawn and performed their duties. The USCG instructed the crew to return to the sunken barge and monitor the tow. As the Misty Dawn was piloted down river to the sunken tow, the crew noticed from the Wheel House that the front of the boat was taking on water. The coworker obtained a flashlight, exited the Wheel House, and went down a set of stairs only to find water rushing in on the sides of the boat. The coworker attempted to return to the Wheel House but was knocked from the boat by the rushing water. When the coworker rose to the surface the boat was under water. Employee #1 did not escape the Wheel House and was later recovered from the Wheel House by a rescue team.