Navy crashed into huge merchant ship. I'll refrain from my comments of normal truth.
And, got to love blow boaters cutting in front of container ship: https://www.facebook.com/Norsk.Losfo...3622210314699/
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Navy crashed into huge merchant ship. I'll refrain from my comments of normal truth.
And, got to love blow boaters cutting in front of container ship: https://www.facebook.com/Norsk.Losfo...3622210314699/
Another smashing event....
https://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_960w/Bos...o%20better.JPG
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...OrL/story.html
The pictures we saw down here showed a point of impact on the starboard side. That suggests the container ship hit the navy vessel. If this was anything like a crossing situation, the container ship was the stand-on vessel. Liability will probably be proportioned. Where were the radar watches?
Bobk
Too little information to draw any conclusions at this point. Navy ship was previously damaged and operating on one shaft. So maybe we will hear it was restricted in ability to maneuver and therefore claimed right of way.
I spent 4 years driving an aircraft carrier in and out of Pensacola which doesn't have a harbor pilot. We routinely took the position we had restricted maneuverability. It never ceased to amaze me how many small boats sail and power would cut across the bow so close that they disappeared from sight from the bridge. We honked the horn alot and asked the forward lookouts for body counts.
Bruce
Freestyle
1986 62 CPMY (54 with cockpit extension)
Tampa
I would have assumed that a USN destroyer would have no trouble seeing the possible collision in plenty of time to avoid it, regardless of who had the right of way. But obviously my assumption has proven to be incorrect.. ;)
Don't know which one is worst... the navy destroyer getting rammed by a container ship or the Nantucket fast ferry landing on the jetty. I guess the destroyer is worst but that ferry captain has some explaining to do. For those not familiar with Hyannis you have to make an 60 degree turn into the channel. This guy kept going straight for almost half a mile before hitting the jetty and almost punching thru.
AIS plots shows he was doing 34kts when he missed the turn.
I guess I assumed that a USN destroyer would have the most modern equipment in the world with trained personnel to operate it. BUT, as is indicated, a couple of guys with binoculars might be more effective than a bunch people with their heads in some sort of video display.
A guy on watch with binos would be able to holler, "there's a bigAss boat coming, we need to turn!"
You would think. Here's an interesting take on why, despite all that tech and all those watch standers, stuff happens. http://orrinjohnson.com/blog/2009/02...grounded-ship/
Follow on accounts of the USS Fitzgerald indicate that the area in which the collision occurred is extremely busy, with a lot of traffic. It is not clear which vessel(s) at fault. Looking at the vessels in photos, it appears the destroyer cut across the path of the merchant vessel, which was also much bigger and heavier.
I suspect the seven missing sailors are inside the ship, but who knows? It's tragic any way you look at it.
I had the same questions about lookouts and radar. Sad business.
Yes but nowadays with AIS even in restricted visibility you get a clear picture of what is going on plus where the various target will be along with CPA and TCPA Even without AIS, I mean it's navigation 101... if the bearing to another vessel doesnt change you are risking a collision. Doesn't get more simple than that
What I do not get is that whenever I have converged with a navy vessel or USCG cutter and would have passed with a mile, they always call asking me to change course. Yet in this case they let a container ship ram them???