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Costa Concordia sinking (merged threads)

ItalianGuest

By ItalianGuest,
in Holland America Line

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Seavoyage

Seavoyage

Posted
Posted
Joanie,

 

I am horrified to have to say this but I think the captain was sightseeing.

 

There is video footage of COSTA CONCORDIA passing very close to the harbour entrance at Isla Giglio... taken last year. She is close in and the whistles are blowing... lots of cheers from on shore. If they find that the ship was regularly taken so close inshore for 'sighteeing' a few people are going to get charged with manslaughter.

 

www.video.corriere.it/nave-concordia-al-giglio

 

 

This can be the only explanation as to why the ship would deliberately alter course towards the island as shown on the AIS tracking chart. Had there been something 'wrong'... the engines could have been stopped... while the ship was several miles away from the island.

 

Does not look good at all.\

 

Stephen

 

 

WOW - the posted video above shows the ship is going about 16.2 miles per hour or just under 15 knots in that little channel. The ships average speed is only 20 knots and Maximum speed is 23 knots!! Could they have been going that fast??- WOW!! That's incredible!!

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Topsham

Topsham

Posted
Posted
From the Chicago Tribune"

 

"The vessel's operator, Costa Crociere, a unit of Carnival Corp & Plc, the world's largest cruise operator, said it had been sailing on its regular course when it struck a submerged rock. In a television interview, the ship's commander said the rock was not marked on any maritime charts of the area."

 

 

 

Well perhaps they are not aware of the captain's nocturnal habbits!!!

 

Beg to differ on the final comment. The rocks etc are completely visible on the chart. Look closer at the AIS image that Joanie posted. He did not hit an 'uncharted rock' he hit the ISLAND OF GIGLIO!!!!

 

He had no buiness taking his ship into a position so close inshore if he was actually entering the port. Sightseeing is one thing... all ships do it at some point... but not between two rocks that are closer than a nun's knees!!!!!

 

Stephen

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Topsham

Topsham

Posted
Posted
... and it's not strong enough to act as a "kickstand", I'd imagine?

 

 

Unfortunately not. Do a google search on stabilizers and how they work. Lots of people think they flap up and dowwn like wings. In fact it is just a very simple rotation along their longitudinal axis of about five degrees up or down.

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u4ea

u4ea

Posted
Posted
but not between two rocks that are closer than a nun's knees!!!!!

 

Stephen

 

Don't you think that part was the "accident"? Even if they had done a sail-by in the past, wouldn't they have gone around those rocks?

Thanks for your insightful posts.

Mark..

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jschm27

jschm27

Posted
Posted

I was looking at all of the responses on the HAL board and wondered how folks on the other boards are responding to this horrible incident, so I did a very quick tally of all the other cruise line specific boards on CC. I added up all of the posts I could find relating to this on any related thread and this is what I found:

 

Costa 756+ posts

HAL 203

Princess 88

NCL 60

Carnival 35

Celebrity 25

Cunard 19

Regent 7 Seas 5

MSC 2

All others 0

 

I did this very quickly and if I missed something, I appoligize in advance. Also, one should not try to infer anything from this. Just too many variables. FYI only.

 

John

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RedmondCruiser

RedmondCruiser

Posted
Posted
OMG!!! Sightseeing:eek::eek::eek: Sheesh... I tried to go to the link but it tells me Page Not Found.

 

I have to leave in about 2 minutes, so will try it again when I get home.

 

Joanie

 

Sightseeing ---- Yep it happens. Several years ago the Star Princess (not the current one) went on a sightseeing diversion on the Lynn Canal, in Alaska. She went aground and Princess had to evacuate the ship. I know a Princess employee who had to help deal with the situation (not fun). So it does happen.

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nana51

nana51

Posted
Posted
That should be singular: The U.S. market won't be open on Monday. However, Carnival also trades on the London exchange which will be open.

 

Right, the rest of the world doesn't celebrate all our holidays and other countries have exchanges also.

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Topsham

Topsham

Posted
Posted
Don't you think that part was the "accident"? Even if they had done a sail-by in the past, wouldn't they have gone around those rocks?

Thanks for your insightful posts.

Mark..

 

 

Mark,

 

Had they intended to come around and pass OUTSIDE the easternmost rock then it would have been a normal sightseeing routine. Still a touch close inshore but it is deep water right up next to the island.

 

So yes, you are right. Passing between the twwo rocks was the 'accident'.... unless of course, they have done it before and this time they got caught out. Perhaps the ship was just slightly too close to the left side of the little channel... when they realised it and went too quickly to starboard the stern made contact with the rock. We know that they did turn sharply because the stabilizer fin forward of the hole was untouched.

 

Even passing through for sightseeing I'm shocked that they left the stabilizers out in the first place.... they obviously thought there was more room than there was.

 

A very sad man-made error.

 

Stephen

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WriterOnDeck "Live from...." Rare

WriterOnDeck

Posted
Posted

Investigations will take months, but it would surprise me if they didn't look at the squat effect, too. The QE2 accident near Cutty Hunk (Martha's Vineyard area) was attributed to it, as I recall from reading the NTSB report on that accident. (The captain of the Wind Star happened to have the report and shared it with me when sailing that vessel in the 1990s.)

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u4ea

u4ea

Posted
Posted

Stephen,

Thank you for your reply.

You must have really seen some "stuff" to entertain the idea that they had done it before.;) I guess only previous gps records would show for sure, but that would be insane with a 600+million dollar ship and 4200+ souls.

Indeed, a sad thing.

Mark...

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted

We recall listening to a lecture by "Captain Albert" or Holland America about a ship's "squat." But this ship was several hours out of port and there would be no reason for it to be in shallow waters (the only place where squat is an issue).

 

Hank

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localady

localady

Posted
Posted
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact it is being reported the Captain left the ship very early in the evacuation.

 

 

Yes, I agree. That allegation is criminal (literally) if in fact it is true. :mad: There is much explaining to be done.

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