Report: Dali Will Move to Baltimore Berth Next Week for Investigators

Picture from May 7 shows the starboard bow is cleared as they set the charges to remove the bridge structure from the port side (USCG photo)

PUBLISHED MAY 10, 2024 2:18 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The authorities leading the recovery operation in Baltimore have declined comments on the timeline for the next steps including the removal of the Dali only saying that systematic preparations were underway and that they remain on target to open the full channel by the end of the month. The Baltimore Sun newspaper however is reporting that it obtained an email showing the vessel will be moved to the dock on or about Tuesday, May 14, and handed over to investigators.

The Unified Command alerted the media of a tentative plan subject to weather and other conditions for the controlled demolition of the section of the bridge on the bow of the Dali. It is scheduled for Saturday afternoon with teams then prepared to use the giant claws to remove the sections which should fall into the water around the ship. The goal has been to lighten the forward section of the Dali to refloat the vessel. 

According to the Baltimore Sun, the vessel will be moved to the Seagirt Marine Terminal in the effort to reopen the channel. William Doyle, chief executive of the Dredging Contractors of America reports dredgers will be standing by in case they need to remove mud to free the Dali. 

According to the report in the newspaper, the team from the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to reboard the Dali on May 14 and 15 to continue their investigation. The NTSB has already interviewed the crew and Maryland pilot who was guiding the ship at the time of the allision and has reviewed onboard data. A preliminary report providing an updated statement of the facts is expected to be released in the coming days, possibly shortly after they reboard the vessel.

 

Charges are set (black stripes) for the controlled demolition scheduled for Saturday afternoon (USCG)

 

The Baltimore Sun reports that lawyers and investigators involved in the various lawsuits including one from the City of Baltimore have been told they can schedule visits to the ship after the NTSB. The newspaper reports there will be two groups taken aboard with the vessel available starting May 20.  They are being warned that the bow areas of the vessel may not be accessible as the recovery operation will still be underway.

It is unclear if the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) plans to return to the ship. They boarded the vessel shortly after the incident seizing information. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the week that the FBI is involved in an investigation to see if the crew violated a U.S. law from the 1830s which says a ship’s officer or crew can be charged with manslaughter if their negligence or misconduct led to the death of the six road workers who were on the bridge. The paper says the law was passed after a series of steamboat accidents but was invoked as recently as the 2019 dive boat Conception case where a fire killed 34 people off the coast of California.

The U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has also scheduled a hearing for May 15 to discuss the federal response to the bridge collapse. They have scheduled witnesses from the U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Highway Administration and the NTSB.

With the sections of the bridge removed from the Dali and then the vessel removed from the area, Doyle says dredgers are prepared to complete the task of restoring the channel. Salvage crews will continue to remove the debris from the bridge while this week they recovered the body of the last of the six missing workers from the road crew.

The Port of Baltimore told The Wall Street Journal that it already has requests from about 20 vessels expected at the port in the week following the reopening of the channel. They reported that containerships, car carriers, and bulkers are all scheduling return visits to the port. Two cruise ships that are also scheduled to be sailing from the port are expected to switch back from temporary operations from Norfolk.

Video: Salvors Will Cut Baltimore Bridge Span Into Pieces With Explosives

Courtesy USACEq

PUBLISHED MAY 9, 2024 6:42 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

On Wednesday, the unified command for the salvage of the boxship Dali released the first detailed description of its plan to remove a multi-thousand-tonne bridge truss from the ship's foredeck. Specialists are cutting precise holes in the bridge's girders and packing them with explosive charges, then wrapping the charges with a mat material. When all is ready and the button is pushed, the truss will be cut into a dozen pieces and will collapse into the water, falling safely away from the ship.

When the Dali hit and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in late March, the bridge's truss, deck and part of a support column came down on the ship's bow - pinning it to the muddy bottom of the channel. Almost all of this debris has been painstakingly cleared away, except for the largest section of the truss, which the team has labeled "section four." An animation released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Baltimore branch shows how the explosive charges will cut up this final section, without risking salvage personnel or lifting equipment during the removal. 

The unified command has previously hinted at a simultaneous cutting method that would free up section four, but only recently confirmed that the team would use explosive charges. The process will be dramatic, but it will not be a Hollywood-grade fireball, the USACE said. The detonations will sound more like a string of fireworks, and there will be no vast bursts of flame. The crew is expected to stay safely aboard the ship throughout the process, a Coast Guard spokesman told local media earlier this week. 

While waiting for the refloat operation to be finished, the Captain of the Port for Maryland has reopened the "limited access channel" next to Dali for commercially essential shipping. The waterway reopened Wednesday at 1900 and will remain open until 0600 on Friday. This time, the allowable draft has been increased to 45 feet from the previous restriction of 35 feet. This is nearly back to the normal depth of the federal channel, 50 feet - though the waterway is still much narrower because of the need to navigate around Dali and the truss section. A two-tug escort is required for all traffic. After the channel closes Friday, it will be shut until May 14 to allow salvors to continue their work. 

 

 

Philippine Admiral Goes on Leave After Chinese Claims of a Secret Deal

A China Coast Guard vessel water-cannons a Philippine government vessel. The Chinese government claims it reached a secret deal for a "new model" for these interactions (PCG file image)

PUBLISHED MAY 9, 2024 7:56 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Days after China's foreign ministry claimed that Philippine defense officials had agreed to a secret deal to reduce tensions at a South China Sea flashpoint, the head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command filed for personal leave. 

This week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that Beijing had agreed on a "new model" with the AFP's Western Command in order to manage the frequent confrontations at Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippine military maintains a small garrison on a deteriorating shipwreck.

The China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia regularly interfere with the Philippine supply convoys that keep this outpost running, even though the reef is located within the Philippine exclusive economic zone. China claims a large swath of the Spratly Islands and the western Philippine EEZ as its own, even though an international tribunal has ruled against its claims.

Shortly after Lin announced that Manila had agreed to a "new model," AFP Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos filed to take personal leave. His command is currently in the middle of a large multilateral exercise with key foreign partners, including the United States.

The administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has fervently denied any agreement on a "new model," and one senior official called the claim a "devious machination of China."

"As far as the Philippine government is concerned, no such document, record or deal exists, as purported by the Chinese Embassy," the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said this week. 

A spokesperson for the administration raised questions about the specifics of Vice Admiral Carlos' involvement. The admiral personally sustained injuries after a China Coast Guard water cannon attack during a trip to Second Thomas Shoal earlier this year. "If Vice Admiral Carlos entered into some sort of arrangement, why would he be water cannoned and injured? When you put the story together, it unravels," Philippine security council official Jonathan Malaya told local outlet PTV.

A spokesperson for the AFP denied that Vice Adm. Carlos' leave request was in any way connected to the "new model" controversy, and she asked reporters to respect his privacy. 

"He applied for personal reasons, let's respect his decision to file [for leave], it's an inherent right of every individual to go on leave, for whatever reasons," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said. 

 

UK Supreme Court Decides Case Over $43M of Silver from WWII Shipwreck

Tilawa was lost in 1942 (note the gun fitted to the stern deck during World War II)

PUBLISHED MAY 10, 2024 5:44 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

South Africa has won a long-running legal battle against a United Kingdom company over a silver treasure valued at $43 million that was salvaged from the wreck of a commercial ship sunk by the Japanese during World War II. The ss Tilawa is said to be the only cargo-passenger liner attacked in the Indian Ocean during World War II and has become known as the “Indian Titanic” due to the loss of 280 people.

The UK Supreme Court issued the verdict on the case after a British company Argentum Exploration laid claim to the silver that was recovered from the seabed in 2017. The company sought to be recognized as the voluntary salvor meaning that it could seek compensation for the recovery.

The silver bullion was part of the cargo that sank to the bottom of the ocean when the merchant ship Tilawa was hit by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine on November 23, 1942. The silver was sold by the government of India and being transported to the South African mint to be used for coinage.

Built in England in 1924, the 137-meter (450-foot) vessel was owned by the British India Steam Navigation Company. The passenger/cargo liner was sailing from Bombay (Mumbai) India to Durban, South Africa carrying 732 passengers, 222 crew, and 6,472 tons of cargo, including 2,364 bars of silver bullion when it was hit. 

A total of 280 passengers and crew died while 687 passengers were rescued by two ships nearby. The incident has been described as one of the deadliest in history, resulting in the ship frequently being called the “Indian Titanic.” 

Argentum, a company owned by hedge fund boss Paul Marshall, organized the salvage operation after the wreck was located in 2017. It deployed the salvage vessel the MV Seabed Worker to lift the bullion at a depth of approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the seabed. The silver was transferred onto another vessel, MV Pacific Askari, and transported to the UK, as Argentum believed the silver belonged to the UK government. The company went ahead to declare the find to the Receiver of Wreck as required by the Merchant Shipping Act.

A legal battle ensued after it was determined that the silver was the property of the South African government. Argentum sought compensation for the recovery. Under maritime law, it is possible to make a claim for voluntary salvage, which means a salvor can make a claim regardless of whether the owner of the property requested or consented to the salvage operation.

Initially, the High Court and Court of Appeal in the UK ruled in favor of Argentum, which argued that the silver was “in use or intended for use for commercial purposes” when it was being carried at sea in November 1942. South Africa as a foreign state sought sovereign immunity.

In its ruling, the UK Supreme Court held that the silver was not in use nor intended for use for commercial purposes. “Therefore, South Africa is entitled to immunity from Argentum’s claim against the silver,” said the judges in the 45-page ruling.   

The judges held that the silver was procured for the production of coin for both the Union of South Africa and Egypt and that it was likely that the greater part of the consignment on board the vessel would be used for Union coinage. The intended use of the silver was therefore for a predominantly sovereign purpose. Last month, the two sides however reached a confidential, out-of-court settlement.

The case also helped to renew attention on the tragic plight of the Tilawa. Two organizations, the S.S.Tilawa Foundation and Tilawa 1942 seek to preserve and tell the story. 

 

EU Forces Capture Pirates After Approach and Gunfire with Product Tanker

EUNAVFOR is reporting it took control of the six individuals in today's incident (file photo)

PUBLISHED MAY 10, 2024 11:43 AM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta is confirming that one of the frigates involved in its security operation off Somalia has “taken charge” of a suspected band of pirates after the group attempted an assault on a product tanker. The vessel was able to elude the pirates after an exchange of gunfire highlighting the continued danger in the Gulf of Aden and western sections of the Indian Ocean.

The approach took place approximately 100 nautical miles north of Bosaso, Somalia, and west of Socotra island, Yemen, where the security operations have warned that pirate action groups are active. Earlier this week the Maritime Information Cooperation & Awareness Center warned that a possible pirate mothership was operating approximately 350 nautical miles east of Socotra.

This morning a small boat with six individuals approached the chemical tanker Chrystal Arctic (74,900 dwt). The vessel registered in the Marshall Islands was heading west toward Egypt on a trip from India. Reports indicate the individuals in the small boat were carrying weapons and a ladder.

Accounts vary if the pirates or the security guards on the tanker fired the first shots. Some indications are that the guards fired warning shots and the pirates returned fire while others said the pirates fired first. The tanker took evasive actions and the pirate boat withdrew.

Operation Atalanta reports that one of the frigates active in its operation was nearby and responded. It was the first to reach the scene and took charge of the six individuals. They deemed the conditions of the skiff unsafe and were also treating some of them with “injuries of varied severity.” It was unclear if the injuries were from today’s incident.

They reported that the forces were conducting an investigation into the event. The unnamed frigate was gathering evidence for an assessment of the situation.

Last week, Operation Atalanta warned that it believed there were at least two pirate groups active in the region. During April they said there had been four suspicious approaches and since November 2023 they recorded a total of 31 incidents. Atalanta continues to assess the threat as “Moderate (where an attack is a Realistic Possibility)” off the Somali coasts.

Man sentenced to prison for driving car through Stop Asian Hate rally in 2021

By Mark Moran

May 9 (UPI) -- A California man has been sentenced to a year in prison for driving through a crowded crosswalk of peaceful demonstrators while shouting racial slurs during a "Stop Asian Hate" rally in 2021, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

Steve Lee Dominguez, 58, of Diamond Bar, Calif., was sentenced by a United States district court judge after pleading guilty in October 2023 to one count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities, the Justice Department said.

"This defendant's hateful attack was designed to curtail the rights of peaceful demonstrators," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "While differences of opinion are part of a healthy democracy, we cannot allow people to commit acts of violence against those with whom they disagree. My office will continue to safeguard civil rights for all members of our community."

"Mr. Dominguez attacked innocent civilians who were simply standing up for a righteous cause -- to protect Asian members of our society from hateful attacks," said Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. "Today's sentence represents the FBI's commitment to ensuring that Constitutionally-protected rights are not violated and those who deny them will be held accountable."

The Justice Department said the 2021 Stop Asian Hate rally was designed to raise awareness about the increase in hate crimes and hate incidents against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Six Asian American women had been murdered in Atlanta five days before the California incident.

During the Stop Asian Hate rally in California, a group of protesters arrived at the scene with American flags and anti-Asian slogans. Dominguez, who was sitting at an intersection in his black Honda sedan, yelled, "Go back to China '' and other racial slurs at the peaceful marchers before ramming his car into the crowd, authorities said.

"He then deliberately drove his car through the intersection's crosswalk at the red light, made an illegal U-turn into oncoming traffic, and cut off the route of several rally participants lawfully crossing the street, primarily women and a young child, " Justice Department officials said in the release.

Dominguez narrowly missed hitting multiple protesters and a 9-year-old child, got out of his car and began issuing racist taunts at those who had gathered, NBC reported.

Dominguez had been free on a $30,000 bond since May 2022, when he was arrested for his involvement in the incident.

In October 2023, Dominguez pleaded guilty to one count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities, according to local media reports.

U.S., civil rights groups sue Iowa to stop enforcement of controversial immigration law


Migrants wait to be allowed to immigrate to the United States in May of 2023. On Thursday, the Justice Department and several civil rights organizations sued Iowa to prevent a Senate File 2340, a controversial immigration law, from going into effect. 

Photo by Carlos Moreno/UPI | License Photo

May 10 (UPI) -- The Biden administration and several civil rights organizations are suing Iowa to prevent enforcement of a controversial law that would permit the imprisonment and deportation of migrants in the state who have been previously denied entry into the United States.

The legislation, Senate File 2340, was signed into law April 10 to create a new state criminal offense that would penalize non-citizens in Iowa if they have been previously denied admission to the United States. The law would also require Iowa courts to oder their removal to the country from which they entered the United States and does not exempt children from the aggravated misdemeanor charges.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other such groups on behalf of the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and two Iowans and the Justice Department filed separate lawsuits Thursday to prevent the law from going into effect July 1.

Both lawsuits state S.F. 2340 is unconstitutional, while Iowa's Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, argues it is needed to protect the state from President Joe Biden's immigration polices.

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Federal prosecutors in their complaint accuse the law of attempting to usurp immigration powers from the federal government. The civil rights organizations add in their complaint that the legislation permits the arrest of immigrants who re-enter the United States with federal consent or who later gain lawful immigration status.

"Iowa cannot disregard the U.S. Constitution and settled Supreme Court precedent," Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division, said in a statement.

"We have brought this action to ensure that Iowa adheres to the framework adopted by Congress and the Constitution for regulation of immigration."

The ACLU describes the law as "one of the worst, most far-reaching immigration laws" ever passed in the state, arguing it not only conflicts with existing federal law, but its implications are far reaching.

Under the legislation, local law enforcement will be directed to arrest immigrants who have authorization to be in the country, including those granted asylum, awarded one of dozens of other authorized immigration statues and given visas protecting victims of crime, trafficking or domestic violence, the civil liberties union said.

As an example of a potential victim to the law, the ACLU said Anna -- the alias of an 18-year-old high school student from Honduras whose father was murdered and sister kidnapped -- has received asylum and is lawfully in the United States. But she and her mother were deported when she was 14, which, under the new law, opens her up to arrest and deportation in her home state of Iowa.

If the law goes into effect, Anna faces prosecution, imprisonment and removal to Mexico, where she is neither from nor has family there.

"This ugly law is deeply harmful to Iowa families and communities," ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen said in a statement.

"Iowa lawmakers knowingly targeted people who are protected by federal immigration laws and who are legally allowed to be here, like people granted asylum, or special visas given to survivors of domestic violence or other crimes."

The legislation is similar to Texas' Senate Bill 4, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law late last year amid his feud with the Biden administration over immigration.

The Biden administration and civil rights organizations similarly challenged the Texas bill in court, and the law has been blocked amid further litigation since March.

Abbott has defended the bill by stating Texas has a right to defend itself from "Biden's ongoing failure to fulfill his duty to protect our state from the invasion at our southern border."

Reynolds on Thursday issued a brief statement, mirroring Abbott's sentiment.

"As governor, I have a responsibility to protect the citizens of Iowa. Since President Biden refuses to enforce our nation's immigration laws -- threatening the safety of our citizens -- Iowa will step in," she said.

Target cites employee safety in limiting Pride collection to select stores



 Citing a sense of safety among its 400,000 employees, Target will not offer its collection of Pride-related products at all of its retail stores.

 File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | 

May 10 (UPI) -- Citing threats affecting a sense of safety among its 400,000 employees, Target will not offer its collection of Pride-related products at all of its retail stores.

The Minnesota-based discount retail chain said in a statement issued Friday it will still participate in Pride Month festivities in June, but is making the move to reduce the availability of its assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month because of safety.

"Since introducing this year's collection, we've experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and well-being while at work," Target said in the statement.

"Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year."

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In a separate statement, Target said the decision about which stores will offer its Pride product line would be "based on historical sales performance."

The retailer added its Pride+ Business Council will continue to host internal events and experiences for interested team members. Target has a long history of supporting LGBTQ+ initiatives and will once again participate in Pride events in its hometown of Minneapoli

Target was founded in 1902 and operates approximately 1,956 stores in the United States.

The company has faced criticism in the past for its LGBTQ+ merchandise.

Conservative activist groups have threatened employees in some locations and organized boycotts because of LGBTQ+ displays in stores, leading to Friday's news.

Last year, Republican governors from Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and South Carolina also spoke out against Target's support of an organization that works to end bullying in schools based on sexual and gender identity.

The governors also suggested Target's Pride month clothes and merchandise might violate child protection laws in their states.

SPACE

NOAA warns of severe geomagnetic storm that could disrupt major systems


NOAA has issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch for Friday. It follows days of strong solar flares and coronal mass ejections. It could cause disruptions in power grids, radio, satellites and communications. It will also trigger spectacular Aurora Borealis light displays. Aurora Borealis seen in highlighting the Chicago area from the International Space Station. 

File Photo by NASA/UPI | License Photo

May 10 (UPI) -- The NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center warned of a severe geomagnetic storm Friday with wide-ranging impacts that could potentially disrupt communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations.

The agency issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Friday evening, adding that "additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend."

It's the most severe warning in 20 years.

NOAA said it's monitoring the sun after a series of strong solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

"CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun's corona," NOAA said in a statement. "They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth. Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth's surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations. SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action."

These storms can trigger "spectacular displays of aurora on Earth", according to NOAA. These aurora borealis "northern lights" could be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California.

NOAA said a large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday. NOAA and NASA space assets will be monitored for the onset of a geomagnetic storm.



According to SpaceWeather.com, "If geomagnetic storms were hurricanes, 'severe' would be category 4."

More solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to last through the weekend.

Scientists hope new data will shed light on how black holes consume matter


A NASA infrared composite image taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope shows a panoramic view of the Andromeda galaxy in 2006. New data from the galaxy is helping scientists understand the eating habits of supermassive black holes, they announced Thursday

. Image courtesy of NASA/UPI | License Photo

May 9 (UPI) -- Researchers are hoping that new images and data from NASA can help explain the voracious appetites of black holes and give scientists new information about why some of the massive and largely unexplained regions of immense gravity shine brighter than others when consuming space dust, researchers reported Thursday.

Space scientists are using data gathered from the retired Spitzer Space Telescope to analyze dust and gas that have been flowing toward the center of the massive black hole at the heart of the Andromeda galaxy.

The steams of gas and dust entering the black hole can help scientists understand how black holes, which are billions of times the mass of our sun, can remain what are known as "quiet" eaters.

"As supermassive black holes gobble up gas and dust, the material gets heated up just before it falls in, creating incredible light shows -- sometimes brighter than an entire galaxy full of stars," a release from NASA said. "When the material is consumed in clumps of different sizes, the brightness of the black hole fluctuates."

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The black holes at the center of the Milky Way and its galactic neighbor, Andromeda, are among the "quietest" eaters in the universe.

"What little light they emit does not vary significantly in brightness, suggesting they are consuming a small but steady flow of food, rather than large clumps. The streams approach the black hole little by little, and in a spiral, similar to the way the water swirls down a drain," NASA said.

Earlier this year, researchers simulated how dust and gas near Andromeda's black hole might behave over time.

Researchers found "that those streams [of gas and dust] have to stay within a particular size and flow rate; otherwise, the matter would fall into the black hole in irregular clumps, causing more light fluctuation," NASA reported.

The authors then compared their findings with data gathered from Spitzer and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and found spirals of dust previously identified by Spitzer that fit the necessary constraints. With that information, the researchers concluded that the spirals are feeding Andromeda's supermassive black hole.

"This is a great example of scientists re-examining archival data to reveal more about galaxy dynamics by comparing it to the latest computer simulations," said Almudena Prieto, an astrophysicist at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands and the University Observatory Munich, and a co-author on the study published this year. "We have 20-year-old data telling us things we didn't recognize in it when we first collected it."

U$ FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE
Insurance doesn't prevent many cancer patients from facing medical debt

By Ernie Mundell, HealthDay News


A new survey found that 47% of cancer patients had medical debt. Half of those respondents said that debt exceeded $5,000. 

Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News

When cancer strikes, you could easily go into debt, even with health insurance in place, according to a new survey from the American Cancer Society.

The survey, based on responses from nearly 1,300 cancer patients and survivors from March 18 through April 14, found that 47% had medical debt. Half of those respondents said that debt exceeded $5,000.

Two-thirds had struggled with debt for more than a year and a third had dealt with it for more than three years.

Almost all -- 98% -- said they had health insurance when their debts began mounting.

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"While people are insured, sometimes they don't have very good insurance," Arthur Caplan, head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, told NBC News.

He said many cancer patients with medical debt have high-deductible insurance plans in which a lot of expenses need to be paid for out-of-pocket before coverage kicks in.

But cancer care can stretch even gold-plated insurance plans, Caplan added.

"These cancer treatments can go on and on," he said. "They can also cost a lot of money for diagnostic testing, genetic testing, and pretty soon you say, 'Well, I have a policy of a million dollars and it's gone.' "

Karen Knudsen is CEO of the American Cancer Society. Speaking with NBC News, she noted that the new survey uncovered significant disparities, with Black and Hispanic patients more likely to fall into medical debt than whites.

Medical debt also hits the young particularly hard: Nearly three-quarters of patients ages 35 to 44 were behind on healthcare bills, the survey found.

"We were really dismayed to see that," Knudsen said. "That strain has been shown to be durable in their lifetime, impacting their choices, their ability to take jobs and of their choice to have a life that they would like."

Besides the financial and emotional strain that debt incurs, healthcare can also suffer, she said. Many patients end up skipping cancer screenings or medications due to cost, Knudsen explained.

The bottom line, she said, is that even with insurance, "cancer care is really devastating to people's financial position."

More information

There's help on dealing with medical bill debt at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.



Dangers firefighters face include higher cancer risks

By Lori Saxena, HealthDay News


Compared to the general public, firefighters have a 9% higher rate of certain cancers, likely due to their exposure to high levels of carcinogens released into the air as buildings burn. Photo courtesy of D Perez/HealthDay News

For 14 years, David Perez fought fires in South Florida, thinking he was in peak physical shape. Then a routine physical turned up anomalies in his blood work that turned his life upside down.

"The labs came back irregular. Everything was off," Perez, 44, recalled. "I went to a hematologist and it wasn't until I saw the word cancer on the side of the building that I realized I might have a problem."

That was in 2020. Since then, he has battled blood cancers twice -- first, multiple myeloma and then, mantle cell lymphoma. Six months ago, Perez had a stem cell transplant, and he's currently cancer-free.

But his risk remains.

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Compared to the general public, firefighters have a 9% higher rate of certain cancers, likely due to their exposure to high levels of carcinogens released into the air as buildings burn. The incidence of multiple myeloma -- the first cancer Perez developed -- is about 50% higher in firefighters than in the general population.

"The first doctor I saw actually told me that there was no relation between cancer and firefighters, which threw up a lot of red flags for me," he recalled.

Despite the known risks, Perez said many firefighters remain unaware or skeptical of the links between their work and cancer. Since his diagnosis, he has not returned to active firefighting and instead has adopted the role of educator and advocate.

He is working to make sure other firefighters understand the risks that go along with their work, sharing his knowledge about cancer prevention and health management at various events and training sessions.

Perez is also helping develop new health monitoring technologies, including biomonitors that can analyze sweat for indicators of exposure to carcinogens.

His efforts dovetail with studies underway at the Sylvester Myeloma Research Institute at the University of Miami. Researchers are working to understand risk factors for multiple myeloma, including age, race and family history.

Dr. C. Ola Landgren has been researching links between occupational exposures and multiple myeloma for a number of years -- particularly in first responders such as firefighters. At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the National Cancer Institute, Landgren began to recognize patterns.

In New York, for example, Landgren had three myeloma patients who lived on the same block on Staten Island. Their houses had been covered by dust after the World Trade Center towers fell in 2001.

"Myeloma has a precursor condition known as MGUS, which is more common in the population, allowing us to identify risks earlier," Landgren said. "We've actually observed higher rates of MGUS in first responders compared to the general population."

MGUS -- which stands for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance -- has also been linked to pesticide use among farmers and exposure to Agent Orange among veterans of the Vietnam War. Levels also were higher in firefighters, police officers and construction workers who were on-site immediately after the 9/11 attacks.

Perez applauds the research.

"These are things we need to know and talk about. It took me something like a cancer diagnosis in order to learn and look at the big picture for me and my colleagues," he said. "I don't want that to happen to them and their families."

When he was first diagnosed, Perez kept the news within a tight circle and didn't tell his children, who were 6 and 4 years old at the time.

"I didn't want them to worry about their dad being sick," Perez explained.

He adopted a plant-based diet, continued to exercise regularly and thought he would be back on the job in eight or nine months. But, shortly after completing treatment for multiple myeloma, he received another diagnosis: mantle cell lymphoma.

This second battle with cancer introduced new complexities and another series of treatments, including more chemo and a stem cell transplant.

"That was when I told my kids about the cancer," Perez said. "There was a 1 in 6 chance I would not survive the transplant, so they needed to know what was happening."

More than eight months out from his stem cell transplant, he is currently cancer-free and stepping up his efforts to build awareness about job-related cancer risks.

"I'm almost grateful for going through what I've been going through," he said. "Honestly, it's given me a perspective that I wouldn't have had otherwise if I wouldn't have had the perspective I do, or the chance to raise awareness and bring change to the culture in the fire service."

His efforts extend to collaborating on initiatives like Sylvester's Firefighter Cancer Initiative, where he participates in events aimed at raising awareness and promoting research into the links between firefighting and cancer.

Perez stresses the importance of preventive measures, regular health screenings and ongoing education to respond to the risks firefighters face.

Perez is also spearheading creation of a Health and Wellness Department at North Collier Fire Control and Rescue in Naples, Fla., where he worked for 14 years. Its aim is to teach firefighters how to maintain their health through lifestyle choices and changes that promote long-term well-being.

One thing he urges everyone to incorporate into their daily routine is a holistic approach to health he calls the "MEDSS System." The acronym stands for Mindset, Exercise, Diet, Sleep and Stress response -- a formula he shares with fellow firefighters and other high-risk professionals.

These issues not only affect firefighters, but also their entire families, Perez emphasized.

"My wife handled everything with such toughness, balancing care for our kids and supporting me through my treatments, but I was also always worried about what would happen to my family if anything happened to me," he said.

As such, he is establishing a nonprofit to provide financial support to families of firefighters and police officers who lose their lives in the line of duty and mentorship to their children.

"I feel like my experience was a call to action, to ensure that other firefighters understand their risks and know how to protect themselves," Perez said. "If there's one thing I would want them to know, it's that I want them to take responsibility and to take more control of their own life," he said.

More information

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has has cancer-prevention tips for firefighters.

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Federal government announces new initiatives to monitor, prevent bird flu

By Ernie Mundell, HealthDay News

The illness is typically not fatal in bovines, but monitoring and prevention on the nation's farms is costly, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the aid will make it cheaper and easier for farmers to deal with H5N1 when it is discovered infecting a herd.

 Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News


H5N1 avian flu is now infecting U.S. dairy cows and the federal government on Friday announced myriad initiatives aimed at preventing the virus' mutation and spread in humans.

The illness is typically not fatal in bovines, but monitoring and prevention on the nation's farms is costly, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the aid will make it cheaper and easier for farmers to deal with H5N1 when it is discovered infecting a herd.

"Today, USDA is announcing assistance for producers with H5N1 affected premises to improve on-site biosecurity in order to reduce the spread," the agency said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services. "In addition, USDA is taking steps to make available financial tools for lost milk production in herds affected by H5N1."

USDA also wants to safeguard the health of dairy workers, who could become human reservoirs for the H5N1 virus.

Right now, its very tough to transmit bird flu person-to-person, and only one human, a Texas dairy worker, is known to have contracted a (mild) case of the disease during the latest outbreak.

But the threat of H5N1 mutating inside people so that it can be easily transmitted weighs heavily on the minds of infectious disease experts. That's because -- in the rare cases around the world where it has occurred -- the illness has killed half of those infected.

So, USDA said it plans to now give $2,000 "per affected premises per month" to supply personal protective equipment to farm staff to help keep H5N1 infection in people at bay.

Money will also be earmarked to help train farm workers in biosecurity, and to cover the costs of protecting people such as milk haulers, veterinarians, feed truckers and AI technicians who often move between various farms.

Another $2,000 will be earmarked to help farms pay for "heat treatment to dispose of milk in a bio secure fashion," USDA said. "Heat treatment performed in accordance with standards set by FDA is the only currently available method considered to effectively inactivate the virus in milk."

Finally, $10,000 per farm will be budgeted to pay for veterinary bills incurred because of the need for H5N1 monitoring and testing, and for the care of infected cows.

"Taken together, these tools represent a value of up to $28,000 per premises to support increased biosecurity activities over the next 120 days," USDA and HHS said in a joint statement.

Compensating farmers

If milk is deemed to be at risk for infection and must be dumped, USDA will help "compensate producers for loss of milk production," the agency said.

"While dairy cows that have been infected with H5N1 generally recover well, and there is little mortality associated with the disease, it does dramatically limit milk production, causing economic losses for producers with affected premises," the USDA said.

The agency also plans to put in place safeguards that would limit the movement of dairy herds state-to-state, to help prevent the spread of H5N1.

"USDA will make $98 million in existing funds available ... to fund these initiatives," the agency said. "If needed, USDA has the authority, with Congressional notification, to make additional funds available."

Viral monitoring

The Department of Health and Homeland Security has also earmarked more than $101 million to better understand and help fight H5N1.

"Public and animal health experts and agencies have been preparing for avian influenza outbreak for 20 years," the agency said. "Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply, which is why we continue to approach the outbreak with urgency."

H5N1 outbreaks in animals will be closely monitored, and there will also be "CDC monitoring of the virus to detect any changes that may increase risk to people," HHS said.

"CDC has also asked health departments to distribute existing PPE stocks to farm workers, prioritizing those who work with infected cows," the agency added.

Additional CDC funding totaling $93 million is targeted "to bolster testing and laboratory capacity, surveillance, genomic sequencing, support jurisdictions and partner efforts to reach high risk populations and initiate a new wastewater surveillance pilot," according to the news release.

This will include the production of "one thousand additional influenza diagnostic test kits (equaling nearly around one million additional tests) for virologic surveillance."

Another $14 million is earmarked to further the genomic sequencing of viral strains by the CDC. It's especially important to "analyze circulating H5N1 viruses to determine whether current Candidate Vaccine Viruses (CVVs) would be effective and develop new ones if necessary," the news release said.

Finally, $3 million in extra funding is being targeted to more widespread and better testing of wastewater -- a valuable tool in monitoring the development and potential spread of new strains of H5N1.

More information

Find out more about avian flu at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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