Posted on 09/07/2010 6:26:47 PM PDT by OldDeckHand
Two years ago, the Pacific Sun, a cruise ship out of Australia, hit rough waters, and dozens were injured in the process. The ship’s troubles were serious enough that some wondered how safe we are traveling by sea in general, but for the most part that was the end of it. Until this week.
Because this week, the internet came in, as two videos surfaced demonstrating just how bad the Pacific Sun’s situation was – bad enough that mainstream media started taking notice. From Postmedia News, via the Montreal Gazette:
In one video, passengers and crew are sent careening violently across the room like dolls, along with chairs, tables and anything else not nailed down. One woman can be seen hitting a pillar.
In a second video below deck, a forklift and other heavy equipment is shown tossed around like toys.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediaite.com ...
Unreal and very scary!!!
It might exist but not there at the link.
Hey, ODH.
Why the HECK don’t they have lugs built into the floor at certain intervals (and, of course, off of main walkways) to grab and stop things from sliding around?
It’s amazing that forklift didn’t crash through the side of the ship!!
Man. I don’t care if it is a 70,000 ton cruise ship. That stuff in the second video should have all been stowed correctly. That is piss poor. I understand not having all the customer areas tied down, but there is no reason whatsoever to not secure that stuff below decks in some fashion.
It's there. What browser are you using? Maybe it's ad-blocking software. In any event, the video is immediately after the last line in the story which reads...
All we can say is: after watching it, we see why, according to the Postmedia News report, some involved might have needed counseling.
Yikes! At first it seems just silly, but once the big pieces of furniture, and heavy machinery below decks, start sliding around it gets downright scary.
Scroll down the page.
Ships have been lost...you are correct. In heavy seas, all it would take is that forklift going through the side near or below the waterline, then there is a real problem.
Being on the ocean is like flying, if all goes according to plan, it is wonderful. But if you get behind the eight-ball, an inconvenience can rapidly turn into a life threatening situation.
Like that forklift.
Looks like the lady who got slammed into the pillar was knocked out.
I don't know. I can imagine why it's like that in the stores compartment - to give the fork access to the entire deck, but it's a little surprising that passenger deck furniture isn't secured, at least the tables.
It looks like some of the racks tipped over, which should also be a no-no. It's easy to understand why they kept a lid on this footage for over two years.
It looked like fun!
The guy in the 2nd part of the video who turned around and went back the way he came made a very wise decision!
Can’t believe there was no footage of anyone barfing.
This may be it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuq7iA-qRZw
http://communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/geekingout/archive/2010/09/07/when-cruise-holidays-go-horribly-wrong.aspx
...in the old British fleet the penalty was death for a seaman that allowed a cannon to get loose.
Interesting to read the book “Halsey’s Typhoon” where they talked about the planes breaking loose on the USS Monterey...one broke loose, crashed into another one, breaking that one loose. Then the two of them smashed into more, shredding and breaking them loose, all to huge showers of sparks which eventually ignited the avgas vapors (fuel had all been drained from the planes) and turned the entire ship into a floating conflagration from stem to stern.
A passing ship was heard to say something like “Well, there goes the Monterey...” and the approval from the fleet commander was given to abandon ship.
The Captain thought the ship might be saved, and asked for volunteers. Leading one of those damage control parties into that flaming hangar bay was none other than Lt. Gerald Ford.
He told a story about trying to go up to the bridge, and when he got on the flight deck, a wave washed him down towards the port side of the ship which was heeling at something like a 45 degree angle. As he shot down the flight deck like a toboggan washed along by tons of green water, he thought for sure he was going into the drink, he couldn’t grab anything he was going so fast.
Fortunately, there is a metal lip, nearly three inches high all around the perimeter of the flight deck. when he hit that with his feet, he managed to pivot and grab it, somehow saving himself from going overboard to near certain death.
Pretty amazing.
For good reason, too. Man, the thought of one of those things crashing around in that tight space is enough to make your sphincter tighten up.
Scroll down the page.
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Worked for me this time. Thanks. Won’t be doing cruise ships for a while! Scary stuff.
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