Re: mega cruise liner sinks

**sadie** Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:17 pm

Forgive me if this has already been comented on. Haven't had the time to read all the thread.

I just heard on the TV News that the ship was supposed to be sailing a course to the West of the Island of Giglio, but the captain had decided to sail to the East of the Island. A normal course would have been no closer than 300 metres from shore, but some say he was only 150 metres from shore. The draft of the ship seems quite shallow to me at 26' 10" and with a huge high rise block of "flats" on top.

Poor design?

Found this post interesting.

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1548367&page=3

Jim Avery
Cool Cruiser Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Destin, FL./Arizona
Posts: 2,250

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the things bothering me most is the sudden loss of initial stability leading to the rapid, and ultimately fatal, listing. I have dug up some numbers that might shed a bit of light. The original Queen Mary is 1,019' 6" long, 118' beam, with a 40' draft. Gross Tonnage is listed at 81,237. The air draft (distance from water line to the top of the forward funnel) is 181'. Passenger capacity listed at 1,957 with 1,174 crew. 3,131 total. Compare this to the Queen Mary 2. Length, 1,132', beam, 135', draft, 32' 10" air draft 236'! and 151,400 GRT. Passengers, 2,620, crew, 1,253. Total 3,873. The Costa Concordia is even more extreme. Length, 951'. Beam, 118'. Draft, 26' 10"!!. 114,500 GRT. Air draft 215'.! Passengers, 3,570. Crew 1,068. Total 4,638.!! The purpose is to illustrate that modern naval architecture has a much greater portion of the ships volume and weight above the waterline. this is compensated in part by wider beam but mainly is accomplished by computer controlled ballast and fuel stowage. Costa Concordia has 14' less draft but 34' more air draft and 33,000 more GRT in a 68' 6" shorter hull. Consider that the Titanic, with a similar gash type damage sank more slowly and for practical purposes the decks remained level albeit down by the head. They would have had time to launch many more lifeboats had they had them. This sudden loss of stability is a scary issue. In fact, passengers have been injured in modern cruise ships when a steering malfunction caused a sharp turn and a severe list from the turning forces. Perhaps safety standards will be modified and the "block of flats on a barge" style of naval architecture will have to revert to a more "seagoing" style of ship. One thing for certain, there will be repercussions from this. Had the ship had this sudden loss of stability in deep water, I fear the results would have been much more terrible.

**bb1** Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:28 pm

That's interesting, Sadie, because there are reports here and there that that captain had taken her too close to shore previously, either to put on a show, or to wave to some friend who lived in the port.

Whatever happened, I just don't believe this story about the unchartered rock.

Lots of questions to be answered, of course, but I suspect it is a near-miracle that the death toll was so low.

That's no comfort to the bereaved, however.

I was watching the utter chaos and panic when the waiters and entertainers were trying to control the launching of the lifeboats.

Frankly, if I had been on that boat, I would have been going for an unplanned dip in the Med rather than take my chances on a lifeboat; it's by good luck, not good judgement, that none of them were smashed to matchwood when they were being launched.

It's also a good thing the islanders were so quick to help when this occurred on their doorsteps, I am sure they saved a few lives.

**bb1** Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:40 pm

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16149739

Ship's Captain Accused Of Sail Past 'Salute'

The investigation into the capsizing of the Costa Concordia is focusing on whether the captain steered the ship close to an Italian island as some kind of salute.
Captain Francesco Schettino is facing accusations he decided to "skim" the island of Giglio on the coast in an acknowledgement to former Costa cruises commander Mario Palombo.
Mr Palombo, who retired in 2006 due to ill health, has been quoted as saying he used to carry out the traditional sail past and is expected to be questioned by investigators.
"I would always agree it with the harbour master. I don't understand how this happened or what was going through my colleagues' head," he said.
But he added: "Permission from the harbour master is not always necessary as on board the captain is in charge. He can take whatever route he likes."

Reporting from Giglio, Nick Pisa said the doomed sail past was also a favour for the Concordia's maitre d' Antonello Tievoli, who is also from Giglio.
"He reportedly told rescuers on Friday night when he was taken to the island from the liner: 'I never thought I would get dropped off at home'," the journalist said.

Italian media reported that moments before the cruise ship suffered the huge gash to its hull, the captain had told Mr Tievoli: "Antonio, come and look. We are passing over your Giglio."
Mr Tievoli's sister Patrizia, a teacher on Giglio, wrote on Facebook at 9.08pm on Friday: "Shortly the Costa Concordia will pass really, really close, a big hello to my brother who will disembark at Savona and finally get to enjoy some holiday.''
The captain, 52, who is also facing claims he left the boat before many of his passengers, has been arrested on suspicion of multiple manslaughter and abandoning the vessel.
He has been accused of steering the cruise ship too close to the shore, leading to it becoming stuck on a rocky outcrop known as Le Scole.
It ran aground and started to capsize, sparking panic on board just a few hours into its voyage. So far, six people are confirmed dead and 16 are still missing.
AMATEUR VIDEO REVEALS PASSENGER TERROR

Rescue efforts have been ongoing since Friday night but are now suspended because the ship is still moving and there are fears of an environmental disaster if fuel leaks.

Prosecutors have said the liner should have been at least four miles out to sea amid claims it was in fact as little as 150 yards away.
The ship's owner Costa Crociere SpA has said "preliminary indications are that there may have been significant human error on the part of the ship's master".
In a statement, it said: "The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore."
The company also claimed Captain Schettino's judgment in handling the emergency appeared "to have not followed standard Costa procedures".

osta Crociere chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi said again on Monday that the captain had made an "unauthorised" deviation from the planned route.
Distancing the company from the skipper, Mr Foschi said all Costa ships have their routes programmed and that alarms would go off if they deviated.
"This route was put in correctly. The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a maneuver by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa," he said.
Captain Schettino, who has worked for the company for 11 years, has insisted he was the last to leave the ship and blamed the accident on the boat's navigation system not detecting the rocks beneath.
"What happened is that while we were moving with a tourist navigation system, as you can see by the rip (in the ship) there was a lateral rock projection," he said.
"Even though we were sailing along the coast with the tourist navigation system, I firmly believe that the rocks were not detected as the ship was not heading forward but sideways as if underwater there was this rock projection.
"I don't know if it was detected or not but on the nautical chart it was marked just as water at some 100-150m from the rocks and we were about 300m from the shore, more or less. We shouldn't have had this contact."

When he was asked who was the last to abandon ship, he replied: "We were the last to leave."
His sister Giulia has told how how he called their mother Rosa, 80, at 5am to tell her: "Mama, there has been a tragedy. But stay calm. I tried to save the passengers. But for a while, I won't be able to phone you."
The captain's lawyer Bruno Leporatti said: "My client understands the reasons why he has been detained but as his legal representative I would to like to say that several hundred people owe their lives to the skill of the commander of the Costa Concordia."
Prosecutor Francesco Verusio - when asked if the captain had fled before the ship was evacuated - said: "Unfortunately, I must confirm that circumstance."
In Italy, suspects can be held without charge for a few days for investigation. A judge must either validate the jailing, putting the suspect under arrest, or declare him free to go.
According to the Italian navigation code, a captain who abandons a ship in danger can face up to 12 years in prison.

===========

Now, that is all a bit Sources say...

But if this is correct:

Mr Tievoli's sister Patrizia, a teacher on Giglio, wrote on Facebook at 9.08pm on Friday: "Shortly the Costa Concordia will pass really, really close, a big hello to my brother who will disembark at Savona and finally get to enjoy some holiday.''

I think investigators may get at least part of the answer...

**bb1** Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:14 pm

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16150204

mega cruise liner sinks - Page 3 16150245

Divers from the Italian Military Marine Operational Group inspect the inside of the Costa Concordia

It must be very disorientating when horizontal has become vertical, and vice versa.

**sadie** Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:56 pm

Conundrum.

How do you go upstairs? Eek

**bb1** Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:59 pm

I have no idea what you do, Sadie, nothing is where it is supposed to be. I saw a lot of the rescuers were wearing safety gear when they were climbing around the dry bits.

**sadie** Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:18 pm

Again from Sky:
Another image shows a pair of divers smashing in a window as they try to find any passengers and crew who are still unaccounted for.

mega cruise liner sinks - Page 3 16150266

mega cruise liner sinks - Page 3 16150266

**bb1** Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:22 pm

I would be surprised if there were still any survivors on her, Sadie.

That's a good pic - I was struck by how clean and clear the water looks around the island before. I hope oil doesn't leak from the ship and cause another disaster.

**bb1** Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:36 pm

http://news.sky.com/home/interactive-graphics/costa-concordia

That's quite a good graphic, and it makes sense. There wasn't any 'uncharted rock', no steering for shallow waters - she was plain and simply too close inshore, and hit a reef that's been there for aeons.

**sadie** Mon Jan 16, 2012 9:00 pm

That's brilliant. Explains it very well.

So even without the rock, a liner that size would be unstable in such shallow water? That surprised me, but it makes sense, I guess, becos with such a major water displacement, the water has to have somewhere to go quickly. it would be a bit cramped for space in those shallow conditions. Suppose for such a big ship to sail in shallow waters it would be necessary to go very slowly to allow for this water displacement

Thanks Bonny; I am nicking that for pfa2 thumbsup

ETA: Not nicking it for pfa2 after all. It wont work! embarass

**bb1** Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:51 am

Oh. The PFA board is different from this one, they don't always 'speak' to each other, Sadie...

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16150533

Rescuers Use Explosives In Cruise Ship Search

Rescuers searching for those still missing from the cruise liner that capsized after crashing into rocks in Italy have begun using explosives to blast holes in the vessel.

It comes as Italian emergency services deny reports in La Stampa newspaper that a seventh body has been found on the Costa Concordia.
The increased death toll was reported in the Italian media after "black box" recordings showed the ship's captain ignored an order to get back on board.
Taped telephone conversations released by authorities suggest Francesco Schettino was evasive when ordered by a port official to supervise the rescue.
Officials said last night a total of 29 people remained missing, while six have been confirmed dead after the cruise liner collided into a reef off the Tuscan coast near the island of Giglio.
Two controlled explosions were carried out early this morning to allow firefighters and scuba divers to enter parts of the ship that they had not yet been able to search.

The number of those still being sought - 25 passengers and four crew members - rose after authorities revealed some of those previously counted as safe had still not contacted family members.
At least three Italian families have said that although their loved ones were listed among those safely evacuated, they had not heard any word from them.
About 10 Germans are thought to be among those unaccounted for.
And while coast guard official Marco Brusco said he held a "glimmer of hope" that more survivors may still be found, Giglio Mayor Sergio Ortelli said earlier that hopes of finding any of them alive were minimal.

Schettino is due in court later charged with manslaughter, abandoning ship and causing a shipwreck - all of which he denies.
A conversation between the captain and a coastguard official recorded on one of the ship's "black boxes" was revealed through the release of a transcript.

"Now you go to the bow, you climb up the emergency ladder and co-ordinate the evacuation," the official reportedly tells him.
"You must tell us how many people, children, women and passengers are there and the exact number of each category.
"What are you doing? Are you abandoning the rescue? Captain, this is an order, I am the one in charge now. You have declared abandoning ship, There are already bodies."

"How many?" Schettino says, to which the official responds: "That is for you to tell me, what are you doing? Do you want to go home?"
Schettino said in an earlier telephone call that "(We) cannot get on board because the rear of the ship is keeling over."

ANSA news agency also said there was a kind of "mutiny" among the crew which decided on an evacuation before being given formal orders by the captain.
Schettino has been accused by the vessel's owner, Costa Cruises, of sailing close to land to "make a salute".
Meanwhile, it has emerged that in 2010 Schettino gave an interview to a Czech newspaper where he said he never wanted to face a scenario like the Titantic.
He told Dnes: "I wouldn't like to be in the role of the captain of the Titanic, having to sail in an ocean of icebergs.
"But I think that thanks to preparation, you can handle any situation and deal with potential problems."
Costa Cruises chairman Pier Luigi Foschi has apologised for the tragedy, which has left dozens of the 4,200 people on board injured and the 114,000-tonne ship lying on its side off Tuscany.

And Clarence Mitchell, who is representing Costa Cruises, said: "Mr Foschi confirmed the captain had been approaching the island of Giglio to 'make a salute'.
"The company says this (incident) was caused by an attempt by the captain to show the ship to the port.
"But there's a criminal investigation going on and we're not going to say anything that's going to compromise that or the captain's case."
Prosecutor Francesco Verusio said the captain's alleged conduct was "inexcusable."
"We are struck by the unscrupulousness of the reckless manoeuvre that the commander of the Costa Concordia made near the island of Giglio."
It comes after some of the 35 Britons on board described the panic that ensued after the ship collided with rocks.
The tragedy could also become an environmental crisis as rough seas battering the ship have raised fears fuel might leak into waters that are part of a protected sanctuary for dolphins, porpoises and whales.

=========

I am not going to repeat the sick 'jokes' the ghouls are making because Clarence Mitchell is acting as PR for the company - suffice to say they need never complain about being called ghouls again.

**bb1** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:42 am

mega cruise liner sinks - Page 3 _57918028_costa_concordia_route_464

Taken from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16587849

Meanwhile, the shipping newspaper Lloyd's List said it had been able to trace the course of the Concordia though information from satellites.

The paper issued a graphic comparing Friday's sailing with an earlier sailing by the liner, suggesting that Friday's route had deviated far from its usual course.

**bb1** Tue Jan 17, 2012 2:49 pm

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16150728

Concordia Disaster: Five More Bodies Found

The Italian coast guard has said five more bodies have been found inside the capsized Costa Concordia - taking the total number of dead to 11.

The bodies of four men and one woman in their 50s and 60s, all wearing lifejackets, were found together below the water line at the front of the ship.
Authorities said that 29 people are still not accounted for, including 14 German tourists.
Rescuers are also searching for six Italians, four French citizens, two Americans and three people from Peru, India and Hungary.
Four of those missing are crew members and the rest are passengers.
Search teams have been using explosives to blast holes in the half-submerged cruise ship but time is running out in the search for survivors.
Following the evacuation of the vessel on Friday night, US authorities have been appealing for information about a couple from Minnesota.

Jerry and Barbara Heil, from White Bear Lake, were on a 16-day once-in-a-lifetime holiday.
The couple, aged 69 and 70, are devout Catholics who spend much of their time volunteering at their local church.
Fox News reports that their daughter Sarah Heil told WBBM radio in Chicago they had been looking forward to their trip.
"They raised four kids and sent them all to private school, elementary to college, so they never had any money," Sarah Heil said.
"So when they retired, they went travelling. And this was to be a big deal - a 16-day trip. They were really excited about it."
A Peruvian crew member listed as missing has been named as tourism student Erika Soria.

The 26-year-old's father Saturnino told Peruvian TV: "My concern is that the authorities intensify their search and find my daughter wherever she is.
"She has to be found, dead or alive. The pain of not knowing what's happened to her is killing us. I haven't given up hope of seeing her alive again."
Italian Maria D'Introno, 30, had boarded the ship along with her new husband Vincenzo Rosselli, 40, and several members of their families to celebrate both their marriage and also a 50th wedding anniversary.
All apart from Ms D'Introno reached the safety of the shore by jumping into the water and swimming to a nearby headland while wearing life jackets.
She has not been seen since Friday night.

Besides the honeymooning bride, five-year-old Dyana Arlotti and her father William from the Italian seaside resort of Rimini are also missing - they were last seen clutching onto a rope as Friday's chaotic evacuation took place.
And the widow of a Frenchman who died in the ship has described how her husband sacrificed himself by giving her the only life jacket they had.
Nicole Servel, 61, said that as she jumped into the icy waters off the coast of Tuscany, her husband Francis shouted to her not to worry and that he would be all right.
His body was later found in the wreckage.
Mrs Servel said: "I owe my life to my husband. He said to me 'jump, jump'. And as I don't know how to swim, he gave me his life jacket."
The ship's captain Francesco Schettino, 52, has been in custody since Saturday on suspicion of multiple manslaughter and abandoning the Concordia when dozens of passengers were still onboard and had not been safely evacuated.
He faces a maximum of 15 years in jail if convicted.

**bb1** Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:44 pm

http://news.sky.com/home/article/16150968

Transcript Of Captain's Row With Coastguard

An extraordinary exchange between the captain of the Costa Concordia and a coastguard as the cruise ship foundered has emerged.

Commander Di Falco (DF) is heard ordering Captain Francesco Schettino (FS) to go back onto the vessel and oversee the rescue effort. Here is the full transcript.

DF: Hello. I am… Commander.
FS: Good evening, Commander.

DF: I am Di Falco from Livorno. Am I speaking with the Commander?
FS: Yes. Good evening Commander Di Falco.
DF: Please tell me your name.
FS: I am Commander Schettino, Commander.
DF: Schettino?
FS: Yes.

DF: Listen Schettino. There are people who are trapped on board. Now you go with your lifeboat under the bow. There is a Jacob's ladder. You go up that ladder and get on board the ship. You go on board and you then tell me how many people there are. Is this clear? I am recording this conversation, Commander Schettino.
FS: Right, Commander. I have to tell you something.
DF: Speak loudly.
FS: The ship now…
DF: Commander, please speak loudly. Put your hand round the microphone and speak loudly. [Background talking possibly between FS and people with him but unclear]

FS: Commander, right now, the ship is inclined.
DF: I have understood that. Now, listen to me, there are people who are coming down that ladder. Now you go up that ladder instead, you go on board and you tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. You tell me if there are children, women or people who need help. And you tell me the number of people in each of these groups. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, you have saved yourself but I will make sure that you will be in serious trouble. Go on board, for ***** sake.
FS: Commander, please…
DF: No please. Now you go on board. Please reassure me that you are going on board.
FS: I am going with the rescue boat. I am under here.
DF: What are you doing, Commander?
FS: I am here to coordinate the rescue operations.
DF: What are you coordinating? Go on board and coordinate rescue operations from there. Are you refusing to do so?
FS: No, no, no, I am not refusing to go on board.

DF: Are you refusing to go on board, Commander?
FS: [inaudible]
DF: And tell me the reason why you are not going on board.
FS: I am going there because there is the other lifeboat [inaudible]

DF: You go on board. It is an order. You don't need to carry out any assessment. You declared "ship abandoned". Now I am in charge. You go on board. Is that clear?
FS: Commander
DF: Can you not hear me?
FS: I am going on board
DF: You go
FS: [inaudible]
DF: You call me immediately when you are on board. My rescuer is there.
FS: Where is your rescuer?
DF: My rescuer is at the bow. Go on. There are already some bodies, Schettino. Go on.
FS: How many bodies are there?
DF: I don't know. I am aware of one. You will tell me their number, for Christ's sake.
FS: But do you realise that it is dark and that we cannot see anything?
DF: And what do you want to do? Go back home, Schettino? Go to the bow of the ship by going up the ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what they need. Now.
FS: Commander unclear
DF: What?
FS: I have the second in command here.
DF: You both go up, then. Both of you. What is the name of the second in command?
FS: [inaudible]
DF: What is the name of the second in command?
FS: His name is Dimitri…
DF: Dimitri what?
FS: Dimitri [inaudible]
DF: You and your second in command go on board. Now. Is that clear?

FS: Commander. I want to go on board. But the other lifeboat, the other rescuers are here and it has stopped, it has stopped.. Now, I have called other rescuers…
DF: You have been telling me this for the last hour. You now go on board. Go on board. And you tell me immediately how many people there are.
FS: That's ok, Commander.
DF: You go, immediately.

==================

DF: I have understood that. Now, listen to me, there are people who are coming down that ladder. Now you go up that ladder instead, you go on board and you tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. You tell me if there are children, women or people who need help. And you tell me the number of people in each of these groups. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, you have saved yourself but I will make sure that you will be in serious trouble. Go on board, for ***** sake.

Don't really know what to say to that mad

**sadie** Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:56 pm

Crikey, really strong talk. You have to admire that Harbour Master.

Wonder what got into that Captain?
Fear of drowning, or the perceived need to seek legal advice instantly, or the need to get his story right with peeps on the Island of Giglio. The peeps that he had made the diversion for.

Maybe, he simply dug his heels in, to be spoken to as the Harbour Master did.

Something tells me that unless we are misunderstanding the situation, he is in for a long spell in jail .... and loss of pension maybe. We shall have to wait and see, but it all looks grim from what we have heard

Thanks for posting it all, Bonny. Am nicking some of it for Pfa2. OK?

**bb1** Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:15 pm

Take anything you need, Sadie smile

It's a bad business all round. I wonder if he was OK at swanning around at the Captain's Party and things - she just went on the same route round the Med every week, after all. Maybe he'd got complacent, cut corners before, and when this happened, he went to pieces?

It'll all come out, but what a sad story. Not just the loss of life, but there is now talk of the ship having to be scrapped. I know she wasn't like the Queens, or anything, but it isn't nice to see her just lying there like a huge, broken toy.

**bb1** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:17 pm

The other papers are much the same:

mega cruise liner sinks - Page 3 16151256

In his rush to get off his ship, he should have remembered how reviled Bruce Ismay still is for doing something LESS cowardly than that on the Titanic.

**crazytony** Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:27 am

Yep, we heard it here too. Disgusting excuse for a man!

**sadie** Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:21 am

Sky News this morning

Captain claims he was helping passengers into a lifeboat, when the ship suddenly listed, throwing him into the lifeboat! liar

Sorry, shouldn't laugh. Suppose it could be true rofl

**bb1** Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:24 am

Oh in the name - and what rendered him incapable of climbing back on board, then?

**bb1** Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:49 am

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087704/Costa-Concordia-Captain-Francesco-Schettino-I-left-I-FELL-lifeboat.html

Captain Coward: 'I only left because I FELL into lifeboat when ship listed suddenly as I was trying to help'
'I didn't even have a lifejacket because I had given it to one of the passengers'
'All of a sudden the boat listed 60-70 degrees, I got trapped and ended up in one of the lifeboats'

That's even worse than the uncharted rock jumping up and spearing the side of the ship...he is an embarrassment to his country, with this display.

IMO, he realised very quickly that the whole thing was his fault and he fled the ship in a panic.

**Sabot** Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:59 pm

Sorry. I can't do this. It could all well be true, but we don't actually know at the moment.
It has crossed my mind that The Captain could not have gotten back on board because too many people were climbing down the ladder, and it would have been insanity to stop them just to let one man back on board. And The Harbour Master sounds a bit hysterical to me. It was pitch black after all.

Just in the interests of debate. Only The Inquiry will tell. But it won't be the first time that a Captain has been thrown to the wolves in the interests of Insurance.

**Lamplighter** Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:35 pm

I'm with Sabot on this. There are so many imponderables that we must wait to see what the Inquiry brings up. We all know what instant jumping to conclusions can bring. LL

**Sabot** Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:10 pm

Lamplighter wrote:I'm with Sabot on this. There are so many imponderables that we must wait to see what the Inquiry brings up. We all know what instant jumping to conclusions can bring. LL

Thanks, LL. I am feeling a bit out on a limb with this one. Perhaps due to my own Naval background. But The Captain of that Vessel would have to be a complete moron to have behaved in the way that is being said. And he was hardly in command of a Shrimp Boat after all. This is a man of some standing who didn't get to command a ship because he didn't know what he was doing.

I still believe that there was some Compass Deviation that took the boat too close to shore. And if you know as much about Compass Deviation as I do, then you might see the point.

**sadie** Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:13 pm

Sabot wrote:
Sorry. I can't do this. It could all well be true, but we don't actually know at the moment.
It has crossed my mind that The Captain could not have gotten back on board because too many people were climbing down the ladder, and it would have been insanity to stop them just to let one man back on board. And The Harbour Master sounds a bit hysterical to me. It was pitch black after all.

Just in the interests of debate. Only The Inquiry will tell. But it won't be the first time that a Captain has been thrown to the wolves in the interests of Insurance.

Sabot, you are quite right. We should wait and see. There could be a reason and we all know how the media tear the unpopular person apart. embarass

But the sail past and salute on the wrong side of the island doesn't auger very well, especially with his head waiters relative commenting about him on fb ... unless it is media hype, of course.

Sponsored content