[TXnMA]

XHogPilot, your

"I suspect some of those “crazy” turns by the cargo ship where efforts to return to the site of the collision and render assistance."

may well be correct.

~~~~~~~~~~

I'm posting this as an update to my #164 on this thread -- which indicated that the ACX Crystal performed bizarre maneuvers, rammed the Fitz, failed to stop and render aid, and then accelerated away on its route to Tokyo.

Now that The time of collision has been corrected, andAIS tracking data for the ACX Crystal is available -- with speed data included, the track tells an entirely different story:

Based on an apparent misinterpretation of "Japan Local Time", the collision was originally reported as at location, "A", which is at the end of ACX Crystal's bizarre maneuvering.

Correction of the time now places the collision location at position "B", which is where ACX Crystal first deviated from her normal course with a 90-degree turn to starboard. (IOW, the bizarre maneuvering followed -- not preceded-- the collision.)

Addition of ACX's speed info now tells a totally different story: it now appears that after the collision, ACX Crystal (somewhat belatedly) reversed course, and approached and circled the USS Fitzgerald at dead slow speed -- apparently offering aid and assistance.

~~~~~~~~~

It's amazing how a few facts can change a picture from "deliberate attack" to "clumsy seamanship"...

[Enchante]

Thanks for the info, this certainly changes the picture about the maneuvering of the cargo ship. Still a big mystery how a USN destroyer could let a huge ship get so close. I don’t have a ton of seafaring experience but I used to work on a 130’ utility boat in the Gulf of Mexico, and on our bridge radar we could see every individual buoy and small boat as we were going in and out of harbor (this was in the 1970s). I don’t know how it’s possible not to be aware of a huge cargo ship unless systems simply weren’t functioning or personnel were totally inattentive.

[GOYAKLA]

Thanks for the correction. My belief at time of my posting that those were facts.
I just discovered AIS a few months ago and follow some boats, and some shipping just to acquaint myself to the tools. I stay mostly over Southern Florida and Cuba, A lot of Tampa south, following sailboats and a few fishing vessels.
Thanks again.

[XHogPilot]

Thanks for the research and clear analysis.

[dmd25]

This was a very interesting post. I really know nothing about this subject.

What is your conclusion (or guess) about what might have happened now that you know the correct timing and also that you believe the collision happened at B not A?

Some of this discussion is like a foreign language to me!

[mewzilla]

Shambolic start to investigation into USS Fitzgerald collision with Japanese cargo ship as the two sides disagree about the time the fatal crash occurred

For anyone curious, shambolic is British for chaotic, messy, disorganized.

[rlmorel]

Thanks for posting this. I would like more than anyone to NOT have this the fault of the US Navy crew, but even if this was a deliberate attack (which I don’t think it is) a 30,000 ton container ship should not be able to chase down and ram a 8,000+ ton warship.

Occam’s Razor says this should be human error, and until someone can show in some concrete way it was indeed hostile intent, it should (and always is) treated as a preventable human error accident.

I will refer others back to your post.