Posted on 07/19/2006 7:49:50 PM PDT by MindBender26
There is a strong but previously undisclosed undercurrent running through the Coast Guard’s investigation of yesterday’s cruise ship accident that left 92 passengers seriously injured, two of them critically. The questions are being whispered, but there is no denying them; “Was this a terrorist attempt to sink the ship?”
This much is known. The 3000 passenger 22-knot floating hotel "Crown Princess" was 11 miles south of Port Canaveral, heading out on a Western Caribbean cruise when suddenly, everything turned topsy-turvy. According to passengers, the ship listed somewhere between 20 and 40 degrees as the vessel made a violent and unnecessary turn to the left.
I’ll leave the passengers descriptions of down becoming up, merchandise sliding earthquake-like off shelves and people flying everywhere with a force that was so strong the water cascaded out of the ship’s four swimming pools to other accounts.
Here is the understory.
So far there is absolutely no explanation of why the ship executed the vicious turn to port and everything not tied down slipped to starboard. It had been to sea before, recently docking in Florida on a trip down from New York. The weather was fine, the sea calm and clear and no other vessels in the area. They can find no mechanical problem…. and ships weighting 226,000,000 pounds don’t just turn like that by accident.
The current question then is; was it attempted sabotage?
Two factors are on everyone in the federal law enforcement and news media fields minds tonight. These ultra modern cruise ships (the ship was launched in 2003) are nothing more than top heavy, barely seaworthy floating Miami Beach-like art deco hotels. Many experienced seamen think they are an accident waiting to happen with their huge sail-like sides ready to catch a freak wind or wave and little natural stability. More than one marine architect thinks it’s just a matter of time until one capsizes.
Add to that the composition of the crews. Cruise lines “rent” their ship’s crews. The dining room staff, from waiters and busboys to the overly gracious matre-d are supplied from one agency, the cabin stewards from another, while another company supplies the deck department, (the traditional “sailors.”)
On one ship I was on last year, the only direct employees of the cruise line were the Master, the Chief Engineer, the Purser (who is really a nautical hotel manager) and the Social Director with the bad toupee. Everyone else, from head pastry chef to hull painter to helmsman were all “rented” from a Ships Chandler (supplier) service.
Remember that word; “helmsman.” He’s the one who steers the ship. Too fast a turn and perhaps a huge ship turns over and becomes huge permanent underwater monument to wretched excess.
Many of these rented crews, especially the “sailors” are from Indonesia. Indonesia has a huge and increasingly violent and fundamentalist Moslem population.
The questions being asked tonight, as I said, quietly, here in Florida are, was there a radical Moslem at the wheel and did he try to capsize the Crown Princess and thereby take 3000 infidels to the bottom with her?
Think about the Moslem mind. 3000 scantily clad, alcohol drinking, pork eating Christians and Jews drowned in a flash. What a great way to guarantee a madly hyper-focused helmsman his 76 virgins! No need to get a shoe bomb on a Trans-Atlantic airplane. Just take a hard left and they’re all dead, in time and in range of the cameras for the evening news.
(We all hope) It will probably turn out to not be the case, but in the Islam’s war on America, stranger tales have turned out to be true.
[quote]monument to wretched excess.[/quote]
Oh, brother.
>No offense to you personally, but of all the options available to a terrorist crew-member bent on destruction, a sharp turn is pretty low on the list.
All people and items coming aboard ship are screened, just like airliners.
Terrorists love low-tech.
It happened a few years ago, I think it was the NCL Dawn. They had a bow and stern thruster problem that caused the ship to tip 20 or 30 degrees to one side, then it snapped back. A bunch of folks were injured.
Well one thing's for sure, America's terrorist that are constantly planning strikes haven't taken a vacation while all eyes are on Israel.
Could Alzahiri(sp)/bin laden have a hand in Hizballuh Israel conflict?
Our waiter was from Indonesia. He was a real nice guy.
Na...Michael working with the, pro Islam, "Blame it on Bush and the NeoCon Jews", Left theses days
"....of all the options available to a terrorist crew-member bent on destruction, a sharp turn is pretty low on the list."
At first consideration, your assessment seems apt......until one considers that no equipment or even serious planning whatsoever is required to steer full to port while underway at speed. Only a helmsman with intent. Very economical and even secret operation.
I'd be curious what kind of steering system it has. Cables? Hydraulics? Electronic controls? Could be some kind of glitch or break in the system.
Sources?
This article contradicts itself.
If it's true that "More than one marine architect thinks it’s just a matter of time until one capsizes."
They why does one need to attribute what happened to sabotage?
Depends. Did Ken Lay do this?
Ping.
I'd like to see a graphic representation of what the passengers felt was the extent of the "lean" on the ship since I can't seem to picture what they're saying in my mind. My inclination is to believe a phantom wave crashed into the ship to cause the damage that apparently happened. How can a ship that enormous have reacted to any steering, navigational, or engine inputs that quickly?
~ Blue Jays ~
They work against waves, but obviously weren't enough in this case... or maybe they were... and prevented a disaster.
No, this was just Carnival Cruise Lines operating like they normally do. Princess used to be a pretty good company. Now that they're owned by Carnival, they've become just another Greyhound bus on the sea.
Yes, but they will be boys.
>This article contradicts itself.
>If it's true that "More than one marine architect thinks it’s just a matter of time until one capsizes."
>They why does one need to attribute what happened to sabotage?
Because it was a clear day, little wind and no commanded turn in any direction.
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