mega cruise liner sinks

Fair bit of heavy mallet work in engineering, but then there is the other very sensitive side as well, working to thousandths of an inch.
If it doesn't fit together, clonk it one with the mallet, was the motto and it often worked.

I was lucky, I was paid almost the same as the guys and earned a whopping salary for those days. Mind you, I started work on something like 15 shillings a week, or was it £1 15s 0d per week? - cant remember. Later, I earned more than my hubby who had a first Class honours degree and a good position. That narked him a bit, I think

You and I have got to get together some day. We would have sooo much to talk and laugh about!

Good Heavens, Sabot - even I can mend things involving jubilee clips, and I'm no engineer! I am always stunned when women can't do these things.

Me too, Bonny. Mind you, I've come across a few guys who can't do it......

Sadie, very well done to you. I knew that Sabot was the capable Air Mechanic and it has been really interesting reading your posts.

bb1 wrote:Good Heavens, Sabot - even I can mend things involving jubilee clips, and I'm no engineer! I am always stunned when women can't do these things.

Ah but, I knew what was wrong by using my amazing powers of deduction, Bonny. Water not voiding, pump working, must be a blocked pipe. Actually it was one of my Dad's socks, but don't ask me how socks get into waste water pipes. This will forever remain a mystery.

In the meantime, I am still thinking about why the boat keeled over to the Starboard side when the damage was on the Port side. I can only suppose that the force of the water rushing in unbalanced the boat to the Starboard side. There will be a logical explanation.

Rule of Port and Starboard. Port, Left, Red. Starboard, Right, Green. But you only need to remember Port. Four letter, four letters, and Port is Red. I expect that you really needed to know that.

sadie wrote: Fair bit of heavy mallet work in engineering, but then there is the other very sensitive side as well, working to thousandths of an inch.
If it doesn't fit together, clonk it one with the mallet, was the motto and it often worked.

I was lucky, I was paid almost the same as the guys and earned a whopping salary for those days. Mind you, I started work on something like 15 shillings a week, or was it £1 15s 0d per week? - cant remember. Later, I earned more than my hubby who had a first Class honours degree and a good position. That narked him a bit, I think

You and I have got to get together some day. We would have sooo much to talk and laugh about!

Hitting a starter motor with a mallet was so much easier than taking it off, stripping it down, putting it back, and then hitting it with a mallet.

And yes, I expect we could have some laughs. It is still a man's world.

Rule of Port and Starboard. Port, Left, Red. Starboard, Right, Green. But you only need to remember Port. Four letter, four letters, and Port is Red. I expect that you really needed to know that.

Yes, I've been getting annoyed with the press dumbing down to Right and Left. It's not exactly hard to remember the correct terms.

I mean, Hard a right.... just doesn't have the same ring to it...

She seems to be stable now, at least:

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16154900

Ship: Two More Bodies Found In Internet Cafe

Two more women's bodies have been found in the internet cafe of the stricken Costa Concordia as officials give the green light for 500,000 tonnes [sic]* of fuel to be pumped from the ship.

The two unidentified women were found in the ship's internet cafe.
Authorities believe 17 people are still missing, although it has emerged that there may have been stowaways on board, meaning the total number of missing persons could be higher.
Italian authorities said the search for the missing can proceed in tandem with the fuel removal.
Civil protection officer Franco Gabrielli said the enormous cruise liner was stable and there was no risk it would drop to a lower seabed.

Rescuers climb through Costa Concordia in search of missing

The search had been suspended several times as the ship shifted on the rocks amid fears it could slide into deeper water.
Just a few yards from the wreck, the sea bottom drops off suddenly, by some 65-100ft.

If the Concordia should abruptly roll off its ledge, rescuers could be trapped inside.
This weekend light fuel was seen floating in the pristine Tuscan waters surrounding the ship.
Officials said it was not from the ship's fuel tanks, but from machinery and other objects on board.
There are fears of an environmental disaster if the ship's fuel, stored in 17 double-bottomed tanks, were to leak into the ocean.
Besides the heavier fuel, there also are 185 metric tons of diesel and lubricants on board.
There are also chemicals including cleaning products and chlorine.
The pristine sea around Giglio, where the ship with 4,200 people aboard rammed a reef and sliced open its hull on January 13 before turning over on its side, is a prized fishing area.
It is also part of a protected area for whales and dolphins.
Dutch salvage company Smit has been ready for a week to begin pumping fuel from the tanks, awaiting only the go ahead.
A firefighters' spokesman says the search and rescue mission will continue until it is completed, despite health concerns for divers posed by decomposing food.

* It's been pointed out in the comments that that is a typo, and it should read 'litres' or something, as it is physically impossible for it to be tonnes.

Some very unnerving photos taken just before she toppled:



I wonder, would the fact that almost everyone aboard would have seen:



have made matters worse?

There is no comparison between hitting a rock just offshore in the Med and hitting an iceberg somewhere in the north Atlantic, but the passengers won't have known it was on a ledge.

All they will have known is that the side had been ripped open in the night, and that the lifeboats were having trouble launching.

Oh, and that there was total chaos.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20120203/171117538.html


WorldDancer’s Lingerie Found in Concordia Captain’s Cabin
Topic:

Cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground near the Italian coast



Francesco Schettino

The clothes and underwear of the young woman spotted with the captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia on the night of the disaster have reportedly been found in his cabin, The Telegraph said on Friday.

Domnica Cemortan, a 24-year-old former dancer, initially denied any romantic involvement with Captain Francesco Schettino, but later told Italian investigators she was "in love" with the married 52-year-old.

According to the Daily Express, Cemortan, a Moldovan, was questioned by Italian prosecutors investigating the disaster for more than five hours this week.

Cemortan called Schettino a hero and defended him at her questioning. She told prosecutors “it’s not right” that his reputation has been “destroyed” by unfounded accusations.

Chemortan confirmed she was with Schettino when the veseel hit rocks near Giglio Island on 13 January, tearing a 50-meter gash in its hull.

It has been reported the captain was trying to impress her when the tragedy occurred.

Prosecutors have accused Captain Schettino of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship while passengers were still stranded.

sadie wrote:http://en.ria.ru/world/20120203/171117538.html


WorldDancer’s Lingerie Found in Concordia Captain’s Cabin
Topic:

Cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground near the Italian coast



Francesco Schettino

The clothes and underwear of the young woman spotted with the captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia on the night of the disaster have reportedly been found in his cabin, The Telegraph said on Friday.

Domnica Cemortan, a 24-year-old former dancer, initially denied any romantic involvement with Captain Francesco Schettino, but later told Italian investigators she was "in love" with the married 52-year-old.

According to the Daily Express, Cemortan, a Moldovan, was questioned by Italian prosecutors investigating the disaster for more than five hours this week.

Cemortan called Schettino a hero and defended him at her questioning. She told prosecutors “it’s not right” that his reputation has been “destroyed” by unfounded accusations.

Chemortan confirmed she was with Schettino when the veseel hit rocks near Giglio Island on 13 January, tearing a 50-meter gash in its hull.

It has been reported the captain was trying to impress her when the tragedy occurred.

Prosecutors have accused Captain Schettino of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship while passengers were still stranded.

This doesn't mean that he was necessarily destracted by her on the bridge and showing off. But, with all the lies, it doesn't exactly inspire confidence in him. Does it?

It's a bad business, Sadie, I watched a documentary about it during the week - mainly survivor's stories.

I will be honest, I was just about in tears when the young British entertainers from the ship were describing what happened.

Lads in their late teens thinking their lives were over, helping young girls swim to the rocks where the locals were waiting to help them out...a young dancer who had been helping evacuate others, and ended up stuck on one of the high points, being rescued by helicopter -----

All this when that bl**dy captain had ALREADY installed himself in a hotel.

The town's deputy mayor went onto the ship to try to help get people off. He didn't park himself in a hotel and watch.

I am not surprised the captain is a pariah in Italy, when so many of his countrymen went above and beyond their duties, and he ran away.

Some very brave people Bonny , and he stands out like a sore thumb if everything is true

He has lost his position, his income, his esteem, might end up penniless and in jail

.... and with this latest revelation, if true, possibly his wife

Serves him right, Sadie.

If the deputy mayor of the island could get in one of the rescue boats and climb up a ladder to get on board the vessel, then there was nothing stopping the captain, was there - except cowardice.

Thing is, he might - just - have got away with sinking her, if it does turn out to be common practise to sail close to the island - if he had stayed on board and taken charge, as was his duty.

He'd never captain anything bigger than a fishing dinghy again, but at least he wouldn't have been a national disgrace.

If he had stayed on board till daylight and helped the rescuers, instead of booking into a hotel when people whose lives were his responsibility were swimming, climbing down and up ladders in the dark, and in a few tragic cases dying, well, he might have lost his job, but he wouldn't be regarded with contempt.

He doesn't seem to have even sent out clear distress calls, Sadie. Clips from the onboard cameras in the Italian Navy rescue helicopters were shown last week

The guys in the choppers were dispatched, and they were looking for a liner that had halted somewhere in the waterway with a minor, non-lethal, problem; they did not expect to find an ongoing disaster.

When they saw, in their night sights, the Concordia toppled over and sinking on the rocks, they just did not believe their own eyes or cameras at first.

They did more than their duty, too - everyone did except the bl**dy captain.

From all that we have heard, it is an absolute disgrace.

But as Sabot says, "it is early days yet" (not her words but similar) and the Company will be doing all it can to disgrace him if he is to be a fall guy. Certainly sounds as though he deserves it though.

Indeed, Sadie - I suspect the company knew perfectly well that she was diverting from her designated route and turned a blind eye to it as it was good PR; as far as that goes, the captain alone is not culpable. I am sure the inquiry will deal with that fully.

But the rest of it? When eye witnesses and survivors are all saying the same thing, when videos taken on cellphones say the same thing, when the coast guards and rescuers - and the helicopters' onboard cameras - all say the same thing, then, well, I think they have to be believed.

IMO, the captain totally failed in his duty to his crew and passengers.

I´m sick of comparisons between Titanic and Concordia, there is absolutely no comparison.

Titanic stayed in his course, Concordia didn´t.

Titanic´s captain was a very brave man. Concordia´s was a coward.

I think maybe it's the sheer panic, and the way the Concordia went down, and the business of the lifeboats not being able to get off, that are similar to the Titanic, Pedro?

Also, it was more by the Grace of God than anything else that she rolled over on the rocks, and not in the deep channel nearby - I shudder to think what the death toll would have been if she had turned over in deep water.

We'll have a Titanic thread nearer the anniversary, but the business of the captain is very true.

Remember, one of the directors of the White Star line, Bruce Ismay, sneaked into a lifeboat when there were still women and children aboard, and even 100 years later, he is still remembered for his cowardice.

And getting women and children off first isn't just chivalry; it's also to get people who cannot actually help in a crisis out of the way first.

Yes my friend, you´re right.

Thomas Andrews, another brave man, together with the Titanic´s famous band.

Indeed, Pedro, and one of the Concordia's musicians died...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-57361340-503543/costa-concordia-violinist-sandor-feher-had-passion-for-teaching-kids/

Costa Concordia violinist Sandor Feher had passion for teaching kids

(CBS) The first victim identified from Italian cruise ship disaster that killed at least 11 people is being remembered as a compassionate man who wanted to share the gift of music with children.
Thirty-eight year old Sandor Feher, of Budapest, was a violinist performing on the Costa Concordia when it grounded on a rock last Friday, lurching over on its side and creating a scene that passengers likened to the Titanic.

In a video posted last month on what appears his personal YouTube account, Feher is seen performing and is interviewed by someone off-camera in a kind of online video resume. Feher talks about a system for teaching violing to children that he developed and his desire to teach and work with children overseas. He says his father and grandfather played the violin, and he first picked up the instrument at the age of 6 in elementary school.

"I would like to teach in other countries ... and use this amazing new system for the next generation of violin players," he says.

Feher explained that his new style included playing movement and motion games using children's rhymes so kids could learn a natural and comfortable way to hold the violin and bow.

Accounts from the Costa Concordia disaster also point to Feher's professed love of children. Jozsef Balog, a pianist who worked with Feher on the ship, told the Hungarian newspaper Blikk that Feher helped put lifejackets on crying children as the ship was sinking. He then headed back to his cabin to pack his violin.

Feher was last seen heading to an area where he was supposed to board a lifeboat.

The violinist's body was found inside the wreck and identified by his mother.

A tragic loss of a good, brave man.

Yes, you´re right bb1. I was not aware about Concordia´s musician, very sad indeed.

another sad news about the Concordia:

http://noticias.terra.com.br/mundo/noticias/0,,OI5595064-EI8142,00-Passageira+gravida+perde+bebe+apos+naufragio+do+Costa+Concordia.html

Pregnant woman loses baby after the wreck of the Costa Concordia

A pregnant woman passenger the Costa Concordia, lost the baby she was expecting after the shipwreck, which occurred on January 13 passed the Italian island of Giglio, asks for a compensation of one million euros to the company Costa, reported Italian press.

Christina M., 30, was four months pregnant when she decided to do the cruise aboard the Costa Concordia. She lost her baby days after the catastrophe, and the doctors explained to her that the reason for the abortion was the stress she suffered during the sinking.

The passenger was saved getting to leave the ship in a lifeboat. His lawyers announced their client's intention to join the collective processes presented by the wreck and ask, on behalf of women, a claim for damages in the amount of one million euros to Costa Crociere, the vessel owning company and subsidiary of U.S. group Carnival.

Sinking of the Costa Concordia
The Costa Concordia cruise sank on Friday, January 13, after bumping into a rock near the island of Giglio in the Tuscan coast of Italy. Over 4200 people were on board. Until Saturday, 28 days, 17 deaths had been confirmed. There are still missing, and continue the work of exploration, but only in part of the vessel that is not submerged. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry said 57 were aboard the ship, but none of them are not found among the people.

The ship is 290 meters long and 114 500 tonnes, skirted the island of Giglio when there was a collision. There was panic and unpreparedness complaints from the crew. The commander of the Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, was accused of having abandoned the ship. He said he was in charge, but an audio released to the press, in which there is a quarrel between him and the Coast Guard indicates that the captain was on shore at the time of rescue.

Poor lady, what a tragedy for her!

Yes, there were quite a lot of people from South America on her, weren't there? One of the stewards who perished was a young Peruvian girl - so sad, her family will have been so proud of her, making her way in the world, in safety, as they thought.

I agree with you bb1, very sad indeed.

Some interesting photos there, Pedro, thanks.

She looks to have a very shallow draught for such a big ship?