The following is my long-studied OPINION -- based on AIS data, official reports, and -- importantly --analysis of damage patterns to both vessels. It derives from the EVIDENCE -- not some wild-hair conspiracy theory... ~~~~~~~~~~
The crew of the ACX Crystal are, apparently, lying though their teeth. Based on the vessel’s behavior, there was no one anywhere near the Crystal's bridge before, during, or for at least ten minutes before and after the collision. The Crystal was on unmanned autopilot for that entire time.
To try to CHOA, the Crystal's captain obviously lied in his first report:
For the TWELVE minutes prior to the collision, the Crystal steamed on a steady 70 degree course at top speed. At no time during that interval was there the least evidence of maneuvering -- much less a "hard turn to starboard ten minutes prior to collision" -- as reported by ACX Crystal's Captain Ronald Advincula. (See note in red on the above image.)
Following the collision, ("overtaking sideswipe of the port bow" -- 600 feet from the crew 's quarters) the ACX Crystal remained on unmanned autopilot -- until ~0200 Local time (1/2 hour after collision). Then, damage to the port bow was discovered, and -- now under manual control -- the Xtal was U-turned to return to the scene of "whatever happened".
After circling (dead slow) in the vicinity of the damaged Fitzgerald, (?and transmitting the first report of the collision -- an hour late?) the Xtal ambled northward dead slowly -- barely maintaining steerageway (not playing games).
All readers: You are advised to carefully consider the AIS color codes (indicating ACX Crystal's speeds) -- during the entire encounter. In no way do they match a "cat and mouse" scenario.
~~~~~~~~~~
At all times following the (1630Z/0130L) collision, the Fitzgerald was dead in the water, without communications -- and fighting to stay afloat and rescue crewmen.
IMO, the deficiencies in the Fitz's crew's performance are condemning enough. There is ZERO JUSTIFICATION for further slandering them by publishing dumb@$$3d, slanderous accusations of "playing games" -- with a multimillion $$$ warship -- and endangering its crew.
And, @OpenurMind, you can pass that along to your "anonymous 'source'"...
That's how I sees it...
TXnMA
Who could argue with this unnecessary billboard of HTML that just screams “I am the BIGGEST Bull in the pasture! OOH RAH!” I had already backed off because I can not reveal my source. No need for this. But since you decided it necessary to bring so much attention to it let me share this...
There are things you do not know about the TRUE course of the Fitzgerald BEFORE this happened. And in no way will I ever believe that an Arleigh Burke class Destroyer allowed it’s self be ran over by a SLOW BARGE on a STEADY COURSE manned or unmanned.
Speaking of UNMANNED... Were every one of the FIVE PRIMARY DETECTION SYSTEMS on this very sophisticated war vessel OFF? Or were these ALL UNMANNED? I say they were not off and they were not unmanned. There were unknown operations in place.
There is more to this we are not being told... Something is obviously wrong with this whole picture my friend.
USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62)
Arleigh Burke class Destroyer
Sensors and processing systems:
AN/SPY-1D 3D radar
AN/SPS-67(V)2 surface-search radar
AN/SPS-73(V)12 surface-search radar
AN/SPG-62 fire-control radar
AN/SQS-53C sonar array
AN/SQR-19 tactical towed array sonar
AN/SQQ-28 LAMPS III shipboard system
I just ran across
the article where ACX Crystal Capt. Ronald Advincula started off his report with this whopper of a lie (that I shot down in my #26:
"The Crystal steered hard to starboard to avoid the destroyer, but hit the Fitzgerald 10 minutes later at 1:30 a.m., according to Advincula's report that was seen by Reuters. "
Per AIS data, the Crystal steamed STRAIGHT on a course of 70 degrees -- at full speed -- during that entire ten-minute interval, It DID NOT perform any maneuver during that ten minutes -- much less "steered hard to starboard to avoid the destroyer".
Given that Advincula started out with that huge lie, I'm not inclined to believe his
"the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal, had "signaled with flashing lights after the Fitzgerald 'suddenly' steamed onto a course to cross its path."
at all....
IMHO, he is trying to cover for the fact that he and his crew were asleep -- and had zero idea what had happened until he sent a crewman to examine the foredeck -- over a half-hour after the collision!