Maritime Casualties In The News

  • Thread starter Michael H. Standart
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Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
Gas platforms according to the article. Not a nice combination. One made potentially a lot worse if that ship is carrying ammonium nitrate! According to that article, this isn't the first time that ship has run into trouble either.
 
Dave Gittins

Dave Gittins

Member
Never could tell oil from gas. No wonder my cars blow up!

This was just one episode in the stormy weather that has hit Britain. At least seven sailors have been lost from fishing boats and a woman went overboard from a ship. There has been much damage on land.

It's hoped that the wandering ship can be taken in tow, but the weather is very bad.

It's a bit hard for me to imagine. Where I live, we seldom get more than 40 knots or so. Our all time record is about 75 knots.
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
Those guys are going to be in for a very rough ride without power. The North Sea in the wintertime is merciless.

On the matter of the submarine vs, tanker incident this week, I found this on the Navy Newsstand:
quote:

Submarine Force Announces Operational Stand Down
Story Number: NNS070111-10
Release Date: 1/11/2007 7:13:00 PM



From Commander, Naval Submarine Forces Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The U.S. Submarine Force announced Jan. 11, that it will conduct an Operational Stand Down in the wake of recent submarine incidents. In a message to the submarine force, Vice Adm. Chuck Munns, U.S. Submarine Force commander, directed the immediate “stand down” to focus energy and intellect on the basics of submarine operations.

Submarines provide continued excellence in the accomplishment of national and theater tasking, but recent problems in routine operations need attention.

“It is clear that a common thread through recent problems has been errors [when] conducting normal routine operations,” stated Vice Adm. Munns. “We are going back to basics, back to practice.”
Click to expand...
For the rest of the story, go to http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=27291​
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
From The Post Chronicle
quote:

Once-Adrift Cargo Ship Safely Docks
By Staff
Jan 14, 2007


The Vindu, a 4,500-ton cargo ship once adrift in the North Sea during a heavy storm, was safely towed to port Sunday in the British city of Hull.

The BBC said that since the ship had reported engine failure Thursday during a heavy storm, it had begun to drift dangerously near a pair of gas platforms in the North Sea.
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For the rest of the story, go to http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_21258962.shtml​
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
Okay, somebody really frakked up big time with this one. From MSNBC.com
quote:

4 killed in hydrofoil-ship collision off Sicily

Dozens injured, including five hydrofoil passengers in serious condition

ROME - A cargo ship and a commuter hydrofoil collided near the entrance to the Sicilian port of Messina on Monday evening, killing four people on the hydrofoil and leaving dozens of passengers injured, officials said.

Five of its passengers were in serious condition, police said. No one aboard the cargo vessel was hurt.

The bodies of the hydrofoil's captain and three crew members were found in the wreckage of the boat, which suffered heavy damage to its right side, police said. The only other two crew members were injured.
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For the rest of the story, go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16638068/

Comment: Nobody is clear whether or not this was a ramming incident, but I have to wonder if the hydrofoil might have been cutting things too close for some reason. It's not as if this would be the first time that something like this happened.​
 
J

Jack Devine

Member
It's not unreasonable to guess that the hydrofoil is far more maneuverable than the cargo ship. Regardless of who blundered into someone else's path, you'd think the hydrofoil could have avoided the collision. It will be interesting to see what the investigation shows on this one. It's too early to really know a whole lot yet.
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
Oh this is entertaining. From The Baltic Times:
quote:

Drunk crew runs ship aground

Jan 22, 2007
By TBT staff

RIGA - Drunk crewmembers have been blamed for running a ship aground off Latvia’s north-western coast on Jan 21.
Latvia's naval coast guard service head Hermanis Cernovs told LNT television that five of the nine crewmembers of the Malta-registered ship were under the influence, including the captain.
"The weather conditions were good at the time, therefore the main reason of the accident is negligence of the crew," said Cernovs.
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For the rest of the story, go to http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/17184/​
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
From the Basque News and Information Channel:
quote:

The ship Sierra Nava was anchored in Gibraltar Bay. According to environmental group Greenpeace, fuel from the 100-metre vessel had washed up along 4 km (2.5 miles) of coast inside the Estrecho National Park.

A refrigerator ship ran aground on a Spanish beach in stormy seas on Sunday, breaching the hull and spilling engine fuel over protected coasts near Gibraltar, Spanish media reported environmental groups as saying.
Click to expand...
For the rest of the story, go tohttp://www.eitb24.com/new/en/B24_32120/life/ECOLOGICAL-ALERT-Ship-runs-aground-near-Gibraltar-fuel/​
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
From MSNBC.com.

Norwegian cruise liner stranded in Antarctica
Ship's hull damaged; 113 Americans among 300 passengers awaiting rescue
quote:

OSLO, Norway - Nearly 300 passengers, including 113 Americans, were awaiting rescue Wednesday from a Norwegian cruise ship that ran aground off a remote Antarctic island, damaging its hull.

The M/S Nordkapp got off the rocks under her own steam and sought shelter in a nearby harbor, where it was awaiting the arrival later Wednesday of another Norwegian Coastal Voyage ship, the M/S Nordnorge, the cruise operator said in a statement.

The company said no one was hurt in Tuesday’s mishap in the Southern Ocean and the Nordkapp was not in danger.
Click to expand...
For the rest of the story, go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16901659/

Comment: They dodged a bullet here. Cruises into both the Artic and Antarctic regions are becoming a lot more common now. If the operators watch their step, this shouldn't be a problem. However, if a ship get's in trouble in a really big way in either region, they could find themselves in a situation where rescue would be extremely difficult if not impossible in a timely manner.​
 
Michael H. Standart

Michael H. Standart

Member
From the Boston Herald.com

Emergency beacon failed on doomed ship
quote:

As divers searched for bodies and answers in the capsizing of the New Bedford-based fishing boat Lady of Grace, investigators said an emergency beacon that failed to pop free of the ship may have contributed to the disaster.

The Lady of Grace was found 40 feet under the frigid waters of Nantucket Sound, after disappearing in high seas and heavy icing conditions. Its emergency position-indicating radio beacon was lodged in the boat’s scuppers.
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For the rest of the story, go to http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=180147

Comment: Anyone think it's kind of funny that a story about a ship sinking would have an advert for a cruise at the bottom of the page?​
 
J

Jack Devine

Member
I'm not sure that "funny" is quite appropriate, but "ironic" sure as heck fits. "Complete waste of advertising" probably would work too!
 
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