An NTSB investigation into the June 12, 2024 sinking of the towing vessel Cajole on the Lower Mississippi River highlights the critical importance of maintaining watertight integrity aboard working vessels. The towboat began flooding while transiting near Waggaman, Louisiana, and despite crew efforts to pump out water, flooding could not be controlled. The two crewmembers safely evacuated to another vessel, but Cajole later sank, resulting in an estimated $2 million in damage and a reported sheen. Investigators concluded the likely cause was a compromised flush-mounted access hatch that allowed water into a forward void space, combined with unsealed penetrations in a transverse bulkhead that enabled progressive flooding into the engine room. The incident reinforces long-standing safety guidance that deficiencies in hulls, decks, and watertight bulkheads—particularly poorly sealed penetrations for cables, piping, and actuators—must be permanently repaired and routinely inspected to prevent cascading flooding failures.