Cruise ship sinking in Antarctic Ocean

[Evadne]

She hit a lump of ice. I remember seeing her back in the 80's when she was still owned by Lindblad, she was built in the days before cruise liners became glorified blocks of flats. Apparently the pumps are holding the leak, the split is described as "fist sized". Maybe they've got her heeled over to reduce the water coming in. A similar thing happened to the old "Endurance", but they welded a patch on in situ then steamed for home.

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]

"The M/S Explorer hit a lump of ice off King George Island this morning and the impact left the vessel with a crack in the hull the size of a fist.

[/ QUOTE ]

The size of a fist /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif and the thing sinks /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

DC (damage control) training must well and truly be a thing of the past /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Evadne]

Perhaps as wide as a fist, depends on how long it is .....

 

[Metabarca]

They seem lucky with the weather, but there'll be no oceangoing tugs to help nearer than Mar del Plata or Valparaiso, I shouldn't think. A sad sight...

 

[happyboater69]

 

[Sans Bateau]

that looks like one help of a current passing the ship? Surely it must be aground to create that 'wake'.

 

[colingr]

Or is she running astern to take the pressure off the damaged bow?

 

[Sans Bateau]

In the two most recent photos she looks more upright than in the earlier photos in Dyflins post.

You could be right, running her astern, perhaps using the stabilisers to bring her more upright to lessen the chance of a capsize? I know nothing of these things, just a guess!

 

[Dyflin]

Engine room discharge (I think) looks to be running so maybe she is indeed going astern?

 

[iangrant]

maybe that's what an etap not sinking would look like?

Duck and run for cover

Ian

 

[Sans Bateau]

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[snowleopard]

On the radio a little while ago they said the ship was expected to sink.

A guy from Lloyd's List was interviewed about her condition. He said it was incredible that a ship operating in those waters with an average passenger age of 70 should have open lifeboats. If the conditions had been worse there would have been major loss of life.

 

[Evadne]

I believe it's still the case that the modern regs requiring enclosed lifeboats are not retrospective, so a ship built in the 60's doesn't legally need to fit them unless she undergoes major rebuilding. Sad that a company taking at least grand per person per day wouldn't fork out for new ones, but at least nobody died. Something to tell the great great grandchildren, for most of them.

 

[pvb]

From the BBC website...

The BBC News website reported First officer Peter Svensson told Reuters: "We were passing through ice as usual. But this time something hit the hold and we got a little leakage downstairs.".

Bet a few of the passengers did, too! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[FWB]

From Reuters

 

[roger]

Latest BBC pic shows about 80 degree list. That seems a very great deal of water ingress froma fist sized hole.
I would guess the damage was much worse than initially stated.

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Cruise ship Sunk in Antarctic Ocean

Sad sight . Seems the crew tried to stem in flow by going astern by the Reuters pictures to no avail.

Some posters have seemed surprised that a small hole could cause so much flooding.
We had a VLCC where the evaporator overboard valve cracked. Amount of water coming in was only just stemed by running emergency bilge suction, gs pump and all engine room pumps going flat out, scarcy stuff.
Just think how much water comes in when you clear your log paddle wheel which is only a few inches deep.

Hope all humans are safe, guess not many people will be think about and thus be bothered about the sealife that will be killed by the leaking fuel, lub oil, paints etc now she is on the bottom.


Brian