[LonePalm]

Regardless of a ship's sensor suite, during periods of reduced visibility a ship is REQUIRED to reduce speed to a rate where it can stop in HALF the distance visible.

If that becomes zero then a ship is required to stop. If stopping the ship would otherwise endanger the vessel then they must anchor.

They are also required to ring a bell or sound a fog horn.

"Ceterum censeo Islam esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[DUMBGRUNT]

“REQUIRED to reduce speed to a rate where it can stop in HALF the distance visible.
If that becomes zero then a ship is required to stop. If stopping the ship would otherwise endanger the vessel then they must anchor.”

Thank you.
Would be near impossible to have a catastrophic collision under such rules.

My first thought is they were deeply engaged in a recon mission at the cost of situation awareness?
Or as suggested, impaired operators.

[AdmSmith]

Q: How many sheep are required to sink a Russian military ship?
A: Not more than 9 000.

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/9753/freighter-full-of-sheep-accidentally-sinks-russian-spy-ship