Still hoping to get the attention of the mysterious ship nearby, the captain ordered the firing of distress rockets at 12:45 a.m. At the same time, Boxhall tried to contact it with a signal lamp, flashing a plea for help in Morse code. EAST LONDON, South Africa . I wouldnt recommend this wreck to anyone but the best technical divers who really know what theyre doing.. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. [4] Boltman told a newspaper: "Later in the morning, Captain Avarnasi (sic) even contacted me from shore to ask how things were going. The ship they spotted in the distance didnt answer, but several others did. Gas exchanges with backup divers at set points during the ascent worked flawlessly, and the divers surfaced on schedule without incident. Those who did earned instant infamy, like the captain of the Greek luxury liner Oceanos, which sank in rough seas off South Africa in 1991. I have made a mess and practically the whole ship is flooding, Schettino told Ferrarini while the ship was sinking. [20][21], Dateline NBC aired a documentary of the incident on 23 May 2010. "If the master is simply looking out for himself or herself, you've breached your duty both legally and morally, to your ship, your crew and your passengers," says Allen, the University of Washington law professor. South Korean authorities have arrested Capt. ":rolleyes: I don't know what ever happened to him. "The captain called the men to attention," says William Fowler, a maritime historian at Northeastern University. Oceanos was briefly featured in the 1985 film Sky High and with another Epirotiki ship, Apollon XI, in the 1986 film Hardbodies 2. Smith also checked in periodically with the wireless operators until, at about 2 a.m., he released them from duty and told them to try to save themselves. Tonight on Dateline(NBC) they are doing a special about the sinking of the Greek cruise ship, Oceanos, and the survivors from 8-4-91. MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when she suffered uncontrolled flooding. Soon after the collision, he and other officers saw what they believed to be the lights of a nearby ship. Captain of White Star Liner, RMS Titanic, Commander Edward J. Smith, c. 1911. Is there confession in the Armenian Church? Technicians pass in a small boat near the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia lying aground in front of the Isola del Giglio on January 26, 2012 after hitting underwater rocks on January 13.  Former captain of the Costa Concordia Francesco Schettino speaks with reporters after being aboard the ship with the team of experts inspecting the wreck on February 27, 2014 in Isola del Giglio, Italy. Realising the fate of the ship, the crew reportedly fled in panic, neglecting the standard procedure of closing the lower deck portholes. Heres some good live video when it happened!!! When the team arrived at the wreck marker buoys, it was evident that the current was almost non-existent and the wind and swell had all but disappeared. A more recent example is Robert Royer, the captain of a fishing vessel that sank off Alaska in 2010. The teams arrival at Hole in the Wall on Saturday, May 3, was scheduled to coincide with a window period in which there is a reduction in the force of the Agulhas current. An iceberg, sir, First Officer William Murdoch replied. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. There were also 12 inflatable rescue media on the cruise ship. Schettino also didnt immediately alert the Italian Search and Rescue Authority about the accident. [5][23][24], The Oceanos wreck lies at a depth of between 92m (302ft) and 97m (318ft), about 5km (3.1mi) offshore. CASE STUDY: SINKING OF THE OCEANOS The South African coast is well I would avoid any cruise that involves a Greek ship! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. -. Receive the latest AI investment news, offers, and updates from Rebellion Research. Pryal was no ordinary crank, but a highly regarded local businessman who claimed to have been an officer aboard the White Star liner Majestic some 30 years before, when Smith was its captain. The team rushed to kit up and made their way to the launch site, eager to climb through the open window of opportunity while it lasted. August 3, 1991: An explosion shakes the engine room of the Greek cruise ship, Oceanos, as it sails off the South African coast. In the middle of the 19th century, there were a number of incidents in which ships foundered and captains and their crews were either celebrated for leading the rescue or reviled for saving themselves while passengers drowned. But when it deviated from its planned path to sail closer to the island of Giglio, the ship struck a reef known as the Scole Rocks. He would attempt to sit there. Even before the journey started, the ship had already started to wear. . Only entertainment staff, singers and waiters helped us later. Italys highest court has upheld the 16-year jail sentence given to the captain of the Costa Concordia, which capsized in 2012 killing 32 people. NAVY DIVER SAYS OCEANOS CAPTAIN DEMANDED TO BE ONE OF FIRST RESCUED. He had also left the radio operator on board, and they were talking. But whatever relief Smith might have felt at that moment was quickly shattered. Moss and Tracy, who now live in Liverpool, continued working as cruise ship entertainers for many years. The Italian captain went back onboard the wreck for the first time since the sinking of the cruise ship on January 13, 2012, as part of his trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship. A Greek board of inquiry found Avranas and four officers negligent in their handling of the disaster. ", the captain of the wrecked cruise ship Costa Concordia. Greek Captain Criticized For Leaving Ship Early - New York Times Although Smith had ordered the boats uncovered some 40 minutes earlier, he didnt give the order to begin loading and lowering them until Second Officer Charles Lightoller reminded him by asking, Hadnt we better get the women and children into the boats, sir?. The Oceanos arrived in South Africa in 1991. Making things worse, the crew had dropped the anchor incorrectly, causing the ship to flop over even more dramatically. Her captain, Yiannis Avranas, and some of the crew were convicted of negligence for fleeing the ship without helping the passengers, who were subsequently rescued thanks to the efforts of the ship's entertainers, who made a mayday transmission, launched lifeboats, and helped . They accused the crew and the captain, but if there werent good moves with so much inconvenience and so much wave who would be saved? What happened to the captain and crew of the Oceanos? The success of the 1988 cruise season in South Africa was the motivation for her return in 1991 on an eight-month charter for TFC Tours of Johannesburg. The storm worsened as the evening progressed and when the first sitting of dinner was served, the waiters could hardly carry the trays of food without dropping something. On August 3, 1991, Oceanos set sail for East London, South Africa and headed north for Durban, led by Captain Yiannis Avranas. Surviving wireless operator Harold Bride, a more reliable witness, said hed seen Smith dive from the bridge into the sea. Others said he was swept off by a wave orhaving been swept offswam back to the Titanic to meet his end. He says he lowered the switches, stopped the power generators and the ships engines. "[12][13], Captain Alevizos Klaudatos, head of Epirotiki Line, was quoted in The Star as saying: "Of course the crew members assigned to the boats have to enter first in order to assist the embarkation of the passengers", "as regards the captain abandoning the vessel, this is untrue and he has maintained his position throughout in assisting the rescue in the most effective way". The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived, but Captain Yiannis Avranas and other officers left the ship while some passengers were still on board. It is believed[by whom?] Evidence introduced in Schettinos trial suggests that the safety of his passengers and crew wasnt his number one priority as he assessed the damage to the Concordia. Those who did earned instant infamy, like the captain of the Greek luxury liner Oceanos, which sank in rough seas off South Africa in 1991. Aug. 6, 1991 12 AM PT. "He deeply regrets not being with his crew. REBELLION RESEARCH ADVISORS, L.P. IS A REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISER AND NOT FOR PROFIT EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH THINK TANK. "It comes from the tradition that the captain has ultimate responsibility and should put the care of others ahead of his own well-being in the discharge of his duties," says David Winkler, program director with the Naval Historical Foundation. Francesco Schettino Sparks Outrage", "Revisiting the sinking of Oceanos part 1:Heroic Rescue Effort Saves 571", Down With The Ship NPR Snap Judgement episode #726, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MTS_Oceanos&oldid=1151622929, Sunk by uncontrolled flooding on 4 August 1991 off the coast of, This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 05:19. The Costa Concordia, carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew, slammed into a reef on Friday, after Schettino made an unauthorized maneuver. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. In Moby-Dick, Captain Ahab sets off to hunt the whale, leaving the capable Starbuck in charge. Everyone on board the cruise ship Oceanos was safe and accounted for Monday, but survivors angrily accused the . On the front page was a Kostas Mitropoulos cartoon that lampooned the Captain, it read: Where to take you captain?the helicopter pilot asked him as he rescued him from the sinking ship named Ocean of failures. Bubbles moved toward the stern and then back again to amidships. "It is my responsibility. What Was the Titanics Captain Doing While the Ship Sank. One week later, a 32-member team arrived on the scene as part of MNet Camera 7 news channels investigative documentary into the sinking of the Oceanos. All 571 people on board were saved, following one of the worlds most dramatic and successful rescue operations of its kind. All considered, said Canadian-American fellow team member and cave diving world record holder Paul Heinerth, the Oceanos is probably one of the most, if not the most difficult wreck in the world to dive. The difficulties of diving on the Oceanos are extreme, but with commitment and proper planning, the dive is not impossible. Cruise captain sparks outrage among mariners - CBS News All Rights Reserved. In its investigative report on the 2012 disaster, Italys Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports found that the Concordia was sailing too close to the coastline, in a poorly lit shore areaat an unsafe distance at night time and at high speed (15.5 kts)., In his trial, Captain Schettino blamed the shipwreck on Helmsman Jacob Rusli Bin, who he claimed reacted incorrectly to his order; and argued that if the helmsman had reacted correctly and quickly, the ship wouldnt have wrecked. Both literature and real life offer plenty of examples of shipmasters who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect their passengers and crew. I just watched national geografic program about the Oceanos tragedy. Most crew members left first with lifeboats . [5], No alarm or announcement had been given that the ship was in trouble; with other entertainers working on the cruise, Moss Hills a musician from Zimbabwe and former member of Four Jacks and a Jill who had been performing with his wife Tracy in the lounge, explored below decks, discovered that Oceanos appeared to be sinking, and were informed by the cruise director, Lorraine Betts, that the captain had given the order to abandon ship and some crew had already left in a lifeboat. MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when it suffered uncontrolled flooding.MTS Oceanos. Other information if you google or youtube it. Meanwhile the extraction was completely broken, the engine room was filling water and tilting forward the ship. Christos Nikolaou did not know what was said about him and his colleagues at the time. The South African Navy and Air Force launched a massive seven-hour mission in which 16 helicopters were used to airlift the remainder of the passengers and crew to the nearby settlements of The Haven and Hole in the Wall, about 10km south of Coffee Bay. This statement has placed the 51-year-old . dontpanik, July 2, 2007 in What Ever Happened To..??? The British inquiry essentially exonerated him, saying he did nothing other captains wouldnt have done. On 3 August 1991, the Oceanos - initially delayed due to a bomb threat - set out from East London, South Africa and headed for Durban.Captain Yiannis Avranas (born ca. The sinking of Oceanos - NBC News Yiannis Avranas - Wikipedia But the Carpathia was 58 milesor some four hoursaway. : "Go back on board!". Barry Coleman was yelling, Its a good day to dive, I can feel it in my bones! Well, a good day it certainly was! [4] The storm worsened, and at approximately 21:30 UTC+2, while off the Wild Coast of the Transkei, a muffled explosion was heard. Its captain was accused of manslaughter and abandoning the 4,200 passengers and crew on the night of the wreck. A Greek board of inquiry found Avranas and four officers negligent in their handling of the disaster. "[5] Hills reportedly rescued Avranas' dog and released his canary. Sometimes we were almost horizontal going down. "A lot of this is candidly still more lore than law," says Miller Shealy, a maritime law professor at the Charleston School of Law. Sinking of Oceanos : Survivor's Accounts - Rebellion Research The Agulhas shifts an estimated volume of 70 x 106m3/s down the East Coast of South Africa, making it the most powerful current on the globe. [5][6] Thirteen of the sixteen were South African Air Force Pumas, nine of which hoisted 225 passengers off the deck. Many scenarios have been done, my brother. At about 9:30p.m., a muffled explosion was heard and Oceanos lost power. It remains so potent because of the almost mythic authority invested in ship captains, Allen suggests. 1940)[1] is a Greek former sea captain who commanded the cruise ship Oceanos when she sank off the Wild Coast of the Transkei, South Africa, on Sunday 4 August 1991. Here's why and how the Oceanos sank off the Wild Coast - PressReader [6] When the ship's worsening list to starboard made it unsafe to continue, Hills and several passengers went to the bridge to look for the crew, but found it unmanned. Regular drills ensure everyone knows what to do. A wide range of diverse considerations had to be taken care of, both personally and as a team. I would know him even without his beard.. We strive for accuracy and fairness. En route to Durban, the Oceanos cruise ship set out from the port of East London on Saturday, August 3, 1991, into 40-knot winds and nine-meter swells. Should oxygen levels drop below those required by the diver, O2 can be computationally or manually injected into the system from an onboard cylinder to replenish the supply. Nearby vessels responded to the ships SOS and were the first to assist. Royer, however, died after suffering a head injury when he finally left the ship. I sure hope he's no longer a ship's captain anywhere! Smith was at 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 1912. They began launching the remaining lifeboats, with up to 90 people in each, but were unable to start their engines. In the U.S., case law indicates that a ship's master must be the last person to leave and make all reasonable efforts to save everyone and everything on it. The Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian coast in 2012, killing 32 people. On open-circuit scuba, the exhaled breath is not fed back into the system but is expelled and is no longer useable. He is being held in house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges. The open-circuit diver is therefore restricted in terms of profile and dive time due to the chosen static supply of gas content and quantity carried. The divers had penetrated 70m into the wreck with the aid of the scooters. Thomas Andrews, the Titanics head designer, reported that his inspection revealed flooding in at least five of the Titanics 16 watertight compartments. Fleeing in a lifeboat, they were told by the captain of a rescue ship to go back and help their passengers. Among the crew, however, some tried to save themselves first. The 9 Worst Cruise Ship Disasters | Oyster.com The impact on the Scole Rocks occurred at about 9:45 p.m. local time, and the first person to contact rescue officials about the ship was someone on the shore, according to the investigative report. Realizing the ships fate, the crew fled in panic, neglecting to close the lower deck portholes, which is standard policy during emergency procedures. / Updated May 22, 2010 / 12:42 PM PDT 20 PHOTOS . To ask them to stare down death from the bridge, as the lights go out and the water rises, until everyone else has made it to safety? By God, you are right! Smith replied. It has been reported that the ship was in a state of neglected maintenance with loose hull plates and an unfitted ventilation pipe. The Italian captain went back onboard the wreck for the first time since the sinking of the cruise ship on January 13, 2012, as part of his trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship. The crew called him a secretary. I am on business., Pryal said he trailed Smith to a train station. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Attaining a maximum depth of 86.4m, the three divers initially made their way North to the stern, where Brett Hawton had time to pose next to the raised Greek lettering, spelling out the name OKEANOZ. Before the sailing they were given for inspection. I saw Captain Smith getting excited; passengers would not have noticed, but I did, May Sloan, a surviving Titanic stewardess, wrote in a letter shortly after the disaster. March 5, 2004. that after a series of freak waves slammed against the ship, the pipe's shell plating burst open and began filling the compartment with seawater. Smith was accused of ignoring ice warnings from other ships and failing to reduce the ships speed to fit the conditions at hand. According to the International Herald Tribune, "Avranas said he had known when he left the ship that there were 170 passengers and crew still aboard [but this was] the only way [to] ensure the safety of all those aboard", furthermore "after checking the situation from the shore, he said, he flew back to the ship on a helicopter, intending to go back on board. During the ensuing trial, prosecutors came up with a tabloid-ready explanation: The married ship captain had sailed it so close to the island to impress a much younger Moldovan dancer with whom he was having an affair. Smiths body was never recovered, and his final moments remain a mystery, with no shortage of conflicting accountsincluding one in which he jumped off the ship holding a baby. All three divers were ecstatic and eager to make the most of the prevailing conditions; the second dive was scheduled for the following day. A South African navy diver said the captain of the sunken Greek liner Oceanos pushed past elderly pa. The first meet was a pool session where, for the first time in an underwater environment, the divers had a chance to meet all the team members and familiarize themselves with each others equipment. The generators had been shorted, and the supply of power to the engines had been severed. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. But his or her responsibility extends to executing the evacuation plan that all passenger ships are required to have and practice. Now he was about to preside over one of the worst sea disasters of all time. "I can't lift my face before the passengers and family members of those missing," Lee told reporters. [3] Entertainment manager Robin Boltman was credited with gathering the passengers in the lounge and playing music to calm them. This page is not available in other languages. READ MORE: Why Nobody Remembers America's Worst Maritime Disaster. Powered by Invision Community. MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991. As in August, throughout the two-week period of the expedition, they only managed to reach the wreck on two occasions with a maximum bottom time of eight minutes. The ships were used on the Marseilles Madagascar Mauritius service. The ships engineer reported to Captain Yiannis Avranias that water was entering the hull and flooding the generator room. Epirotiki Line. Is the Oceanos still at the bottom of the ocean? Even if he's not convicted, it is highly unlikely that he'll ever command a cruise or cargo ship again because of the damage to his reputation, said Prof. Craig Allen of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. UK Retailer Simply Scuba Goes Into Administration For Good This Time, Dive Curaao Launches New All-In-One Vacation Platform. [6] Finding the ship's bridge abandoned, Moss Hills, an on-board entertainer, used the radio phone to broadcast a mayday until another ship answered. On Sunday, the day before the first dive attempt, the gusty southwesterly wind blew. [3] He was quoted soon after the sinking as saying, "When I order abandon the ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave. "Heres why and how the Oceanos sank off the Wild Coast", Sunday Tribune, 26 Feb, 2017, A Captain's Tale: 'The Rescue Was Perfect - Everybody Is Safe', OCEANOS CAPTAIN INSISTED ON EARLY RESCUE, DIVER SAYS, South Africa probes cause of luxury liner's sinking, Cruise captain sparks outrage among mariners, "Costa Concordia Tragedy: Capt. Once complete, the team focused on preparing for the dives. Two more were added to these later. The Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian coast in 2012, killing 32 people. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! When his "death-glorious ship" sinks, Ahab mourns that he's been denied the "pride" of having gone down with her. There was no stopping the flooding and no hope for the Oceanos sinking. The cruise ship had sailed with seven beauforts. What happened to the Italian cruise ship captain? Michael O Mahoney, a passenger remembers at least 30 crew members got on the first boat, while the captain left on a helicopter while passengers were still on deck. In addition to Schettino, Ferrarini and Rusli Bin, the other people who received convictions for their role in the disaster were Cabin Service Director Manrico Giampedroni, First Officer Ciro Ambrosio and Third Officer Silvia Coronica. South Africa probes cause of luxury liner's sinking MACHINE LEARNING INVESTING IS SPECULATIVE BY NATURE. The nearest, RMS Carpathia, replied that it would change course and hurry to the Titanics position. INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT INTEND TO MAKE AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION FOR THE SALE OR PURCHASE OF ANY SPECIFIC SECURITIES PRODUCT, SERVICE OR INVESTMENT STRATEGY. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. The Victorian notion that a captain should actually go down with the ship has become archaic. By "It's a matter of honor that the master is the last to leave. For the mythological figure, see, "Owner of Lost Greek Cruise Ship Has History of Maritime Mishaps", "A Captain's Tale: 'The Rescue Was Perfect Everybody Is Safe', "Oceanos Captain Insisted On Early Rescue, Diver Says", "The guitarist who saved hundreds of people on a sinking cruise liner", "Hero plays music to calm terrified passengers", "South Africa probes cause of luxury liner's sinking", "The inimitable Alvon Collison, the wind beneath our wings", "Must a captain be the last one off a sinking ship?
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