Perhaps the professional negligence is based in part on the fact that once navigation was in jeopardy it would have been prudent to slow or even stop while at the same time assuring a sufficient number of lookouts.
>>Read yours after I posted mine above. Don’t recall reading about any mechanical problems at least in early reports, but then I haven’t stayed up with developments.<<
On reading the report today, it looks like the initial report of loss of steering that I read months ago was actually caused by the helmsman not realizing that both steering and propulsion control had been transferred to the Lee Helm (when he expected it to only be a transfer of propulsion control.) Upon finding he had no control of steering he announced a loss of steering and the McCain put up lights signaling a vessel not under control.
>>Perhaps the professional negligence is based in part on the fact that once navigation was in jeopardy it would have been prudent to slow or even stop while at the same time assuring a sufficient number of lookouts.<<
Ironically, they did slow and that might have been the final straw. If they hadn’t, they might have cleared the Alnic when passing in front of it. The Alnic also failed to slow or stop, either of which might have prevented the collision. Plenty of blame to go around, it seems.