PORTLAND, Maine - A federal report says an oil tanker that crashed into a bridge connecting New Hampshire and Maine in 2013 had failed to replace a component of its mooring system after its last inspection.
The vessel struck the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. Both states sued the owners, saying the crew didn't secure the tanker properly. The owners of the Portuguese oil tanker MV Harbor Feature said the states were guilty of negligence.
A settlement was reached last year; the owners agreed to pay $1.3 million to reimburse the states' repair costs.
The Portland Press Herald reports that the National Transportation Safety Board says in a report that asbestos linings on the vessel's brakes weren't replaced, probably weakening their ability to stop the mooring lines from releasing.