Costa Concordia

[YZ165]

Re: Costa Concordia

I thought the yacht captain on NBC said it all "These waters have been charted since before the birth of Christ"

Wow, never thought of it like that....how true...

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Costa Concordia

I somehow think they need to take a closer look at navigation and captaining skills to prevent these kinds of accidents from happening, not evacuation plans. That reef has not moved in the last couple of years.

Reminds me of an incident we had up at the lake...

I'll try to nutshell this; A woman came frantically swimming up to one of our docks at dusk with a 17 ft bow rider in tow with 2 kids on board, and it was taking on water fast.... She called for the local marine tech who was storing her trailer to haul it out. When he arrived and pulled it, what we saw was an Alpha hanging on the back by just 1 trim cylinder. The other was torn off, the bell housing and transom shield were shattered, and the prop was folded up like a tulip (in other words she was cooking along). I asked what happened. She gives this story of a canoe coming out of no where that she had to swerve to avoid, and she hit something. "It happened right out there at outer island". I told her she must have hit the giant rock out there (this rock is massive, it rivals that of what took out this ship, it submerged most of the time and unmarked because it is so close to the island, but everybody knows it's there). She looked at me like I had 5 heads, and said "what rock? Since when has there been a rock there?" I calmly replied, "there is a rock there, but it's only been there since the last ice age"... Perhaps I was a little insensitive?

 

[rednecktech00]

Re: Costa Concordia

Translation:

"I knocked over a small boy and tripped over him. I found myself in a lifeboat on top of a young woman with a large bosom."

That explains it all.

 

[rednecktech00]

Re: Costa Concordia

This might be a chance for some of you more experienced to give the rest of us some guidance. Aren''t there procedures to follow after you know you have hit something? It is obvious he was trying to make this a hit and run. Seems like he should have come to a stop and assess the damage before proceeding. Seems that if you have a power failure after you have hit something, that might be a clue there is significant damage. What do you think?

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Costa Concordia

I've never watched the show before, but Dr. Phil is interviewing two survivors right now.
And...his analysis of the captain.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Costa Concordia

This might be a chance for some of you more experienced to give the rest of us some guidance. Aren''t there procedures to follow after you know you have hit something? It is obvious he was trying to make this a hit and run. Seems like he should have come to a stop and assess the damage before proceeding. Seems that if you have a power failure after you have hit something, that might be a clue there is significant damage. What do you think?

My guess is that he was aware that it was significant damage, but didn't realize how severe. I think he was trying to get to the port, but time wasn't on his side. When you have the lives of 4000 (?) people in your hands, I think trying to get to dry land is the best bet. Captain Crunch is still an idiot though....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Costa Concordia

Ok, on a ship that big... you're thrown forward and the electrical goes out, I think that's a pretty good clue you've hit something and sustained damage. Then you start checking with supervisors and personel in the holds below the waterline, it shouldn't take long at all to figure out that you've got major damage and the ship is taking on massive amounts of water.

The capt. screwed up royally and was running scared.

A news article said the ship had taken an identical course back in August, but I'll bet a dollar to a donut that when this course was taken the water depth was lower due to a low tide and this wasn't taken into account.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Costa Concordia

The GPS tracking videos that have been published show that the ship made something like a "3 point turn" after the collision with the rocky ledge; similar to what a car would make turning around on a narrow street. Sort of tells that they were using thrusters and auxiliary power. Of course, I wonder who was really doing the navigation, as new reports indicate that the captain was having dinner with his lady friend.

It seems that if the boat had continued out into deeper water, it would have sunk upon capsizing.

This whole story is nearly incredulous as it unfolds . . . and to think of the lives that have been lost.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Costa Concordia

A news article said the ship had taken an identical course back in August, but I'll bet a dollar to a donut that when this course was taken the water depth was lower due to a low tide and this wasn't taken into account.

Since doughnuts now cost about a dollar, what has been a very good phrase is probably losing it's significance.

Mediterranean tides are minimal ~ a foot or two at most, and so would not have have been a factor in this accident.

 

[QC]

Re: Costa Concordia

This picture/add is in the LA Times this morning:

:facepalm:

Are they flippin' stupid? OMG!! I know somebody is asleep, but it seems to say "Silversea Cruises. We know how to go by rocks too."

 

[bassman284]

Re: Costa Concordia

The plot thickens. Schettino has told prosecutors that he was instructed to make the salute maneuver to get publicity.

Link

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Costa Concordia

....ok, I just bought the movie rights.....and I'm thinkin' of hiring Angus 63......
Who wants in?....any Schettino Doubles there? (I may have gotten the spelling wrong on that by the way?)
BP

Edit: Fixed the spelling, although I agree with your slip, the iboats switcharooney deal made it **** - QC

 

[Sandbank]

Re: Costa Concordia

What I love is the company is reportedly offering no refunds but a 30% discount on future cruises...yeah $#$ right...as if. Clearly the company's legal and PR genius rivals that of 'Captain Desert the bridge.'

 

[QC]

Re: Costa Concordia

In the interest of accuracy. Got this from Costa Cruises site:

Costa Cruises confirms that it is contacting all guests on the Costa Concordia at the time of the tragic accident to make sure they have returned home and are well, and to confirm that they will receive a refund for the cruise and all material expenses relating to it.

Hasn't been updated since the 18th which seems a little poor. Not one mention on Carnival's site and I searched for "Concordia" there.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Costa Concordia

Schettino has told prosecutors that he was instructed to make the salute maneuver to get publicity.

Well, he got them a bunch of publicity, world wide coverage.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Costa Concordia

In the interest of accuracy. Got this from Costa Cruises site:

Costa Cruises confirms that it is contacting all guests on the Costa Concordia at the time of the tragic accident to make sure they have returned home and are well, and to confirm that they will receive a refund for the cruise and all material expenses relating to it..

....plus, if they act now...they will receive this free set of Gin Su knives and this handy carrying case.....

BP

 

[rednecktech00]

Re: Costa Concordia

Prosecutors are upset that the judge ordered house arrest. I think house arrest was most appropriate. Imagine being locked in with the family as the whole world discusses his dinner date with the hot blonde who is less than half his age. His ability to make a living at sea is gone. Home with the wife and kid is exactly where he needs to be.

 

[angus63]

Re: Costa Concordia

....ok, I just bought the movie rights.....and I'm thinkin' of hiring Angus 63......
Who wants in?....any Schettino Doubles there? (I may have gotten the spelling wrong on that by the way?)
BP

Edit: Fixed the spelling, although I agree with your slip, the iboats switcharooney deal made it **** - QC

Please speak to my agent after the Superbowl!!

My original reply to this thread before the facts surfaced always holds water. Having a vested interest in maritime incidents for 30+ years, the vast majority boil down to humans straying from safe "best practices" and regulations, or mother nature overcoming design restrictions. Since conditions were ideal, I was certain human bravado had a hand in this tragedy. Advanced technology is amazing, but they all have two buttons, acknowledge and off.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Costa Concordia

bassman said that the CPTN may have been ordered to take that course thru the rocks by the company.

That may explain his actions some. If he knew this was a dangerous course, but had to take it anyway, he may have had a bad attitude going in. like "this stupid company wants me to take this course, just so people can see us from shore, well i hope we ground so i can show them!" that may have been his attitude going into it.

so when they grounded, he said "I told you so!" And in his mind everything that happened afterwards was in the company's hands.

Maybe that was his logic. It still does not excuse his actions, but that would make more sense to me. I am just having a hard time believing that a Captain would just abandon his passengers like that.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Costa Concordia

That may explain his actions some. If he knew this was a dangerous course, but had to take it anyway, :facepalm: he may have had a bad attitude going in. like "this stupid company wants me to take this course, just so people can see us from shore, well i hope we ground so i can show them!" that may have been his attitude going into it.

so when they grounded, he said "I told you so!" And in his mind everything that happened afterwards was in the company's hands.

Maybe that was his logic. It still does not excuse his actions, but that would make more sense to me. I am just having a hard time believing that a Captain would just abandon his passengers like that.

He did not "have to take it anyway". That is/was one of his prime duties as a Captain....to make sound decisions. The "I was just following orders" defense doesn't cut it.
If he intentionally put his passengers, crew, and ship in harm's way, why would it surprise you that he would then pull the ripcord?