---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 C.F.R. § 850.10"
title: "49"
number: "850.10"
heading: "Preliminary investigation by the Coast Guard."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/49/850.10"
---

# §850.10. Preliminary investigation by the Coast Guard.

- (a) **The Coast Guard conducts the preliminary investigation of marine casualties.**
- (b) **The Commandant determines from the preliminary investigation whether—**
  - (1) The casualty is a major marine casualty; or
  - (2) The casualty involves a public and a nonpublic vessel and at least one fatality or $75,000 in property damage; or
  - (3) The casualty involves a Coast Guard and a nonpublic vessel and at least one fatality or $75,000 in property damage; or
  - (4) The casualty is a major marine casualty which involves significant safety issues relating to Coast Guard safety functions, e.g., search and rescue, aids to navigation, vessel traffic systems, commercial vessel safety, etc.
- (c) **The Commandant notifies the Board of a casualty described in paragraph (b) of this section.**

## Notes

### Amendments

[42 FR 61204, Dec. 1, 1977, as amended at 47 FR 46089, Oct. 15, 1982]

### Authority

Authority: Sec. 304(a)(1)(E), Independent Safety Board Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-633, 88 Stat. 2168 (49 U.S.C. 1903).

### Source

Source: 42 FR 61204, Dec. 1, 1977, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[42 FR 61204, Dec. 1, 1977, as amended at 47 FR 46089, Oct. 15, 1982]