SHIP HITS TRICOLOR AGAIN

Sky News ^ | Last Updated: 21:27 UK, Wednesday January 01, 2003 | Sky News

[colette_g]

Tricolor is lying on its side

SHIP HITS TRICOLOR AGAIN

A ship carrying 70,000 tonnes of highly flammable gas oil has crashed into the submerged car transporter which sank in the English Channel.

French coastguards are trying to rescue the crew of The Vicky - which is stuck on top of the the submerged Tricolor.

The Tricolor was carrying 2,862 BMWs, Volvos and Saabs worth an estimated £30m when it sank off the French port of Dunkirk two weeks ago after colliding with the container ship Kariba in thick fog.

The submerged wreck of the Tricolor, which was left lying on its side, was then hit by the Nicola, a 3,000-tonne ship registered in the Dutch Antilles.

Dover Coastguard said it was not yet known if there was any imminent danger of the highly flammable oil on board The Vicky igniting, or whether the ship was sinking.

The spokesman said: "If the Vicky is holed then the French are going to have get the crew off quickly and then deal with any pollution issue later."

[Cobra64]

The Tricolor was carrying 2,862 BMWs, Volvos and Saabs worth an estimated £30m when it sank off the French port of Dunkirk two weeks ago..

Too bad about the Beemers. As for the Volvos... they should have be sent to the Orient anyway.

[ZOOKER]

Wonder what a BMW 7 series and a Volvo S60 will bring on Ebay after this?

Depends on whether you want one from the TOP or the BOTTOM of the pile in the hold.

One has more headroom, of course, but the other is a real bargain (as is, of course).

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Like every ship coming from international waters, the Kite, by law, will be piloted not by its Greek captain but by a Chesapeake Bay pilot

Ports may require taking on a local Harbor Pilot but under IMO rules the ship's captain is still in charge and responsible for safe navigation. FWIW, when the QE-II was damaged by an uncharted wreck in Long Island Sound, the Captain chose to disregard the advice of the harbor pilot.

The way the wreck is laying, radar would not "see" it.

My radar comment addressed the initial collision that got it that way. By this time, the causuality should be surrounded by lighted markers with radar reflectors, and period warnings to navigators should be broadcast almost continously. There should probably be a French Naval or Coast Guard vessel nearby to warn-off that 5% that didn't get the word. This is sick.

BTW, I watched the hydroplane ferry from Calais to Dover from the Dover jetty once, before the chunnel opened. Damnest thing I've ever seen. It had to be going 70+ kt in about 2 miles of visibility. The ferry blew in and hit the landing ramp at just the right speed to come to a stop on top. It was the most impressive piece of seamanship I've ever witnessed. I guarantee you they had an active and alert radar watch.

I'm convinced that the British are still the finest seamen in the world.

[StriperSniper]

By this time....This is sick.

Absolutely!

[dennisw]

There's laughter ringing in dockside bars all over Europe.

[1rudeboy]

Call John Edwards. He can set you up.

Sorry, I would prefer to work for a top-flight admiralty lawyer, not some piss-ant ambulance-chaser.

[TheBattman]

i guess the French Coast Guard surrendered and was unavailable to mark the ship so others could avoid it....

[Bobby777]

LOL ... I'll take one of each from the TOP of the pile!

[Jhoffa_]

Oh, it's beautiful..

I would have loved to have gotten there before the elements did their damage though. I love old cars, trucks and motorcycles. I would have to play in them at least once before surfacing. No two ways about it.

I remember seeing deep sea pictures of a nazi u-boat, sunk during WW2. They said that the extreme cold of the deep and the total lack of light helps to preserve it. I swear, it looked brand new. The colors were so bright it looked freshly painted and there wasn't rust, corrosion or anything that I could see to give you the impression it had been there more than half a century.

Another interesting claim was that the bodies aboard dissolve at that depth. Nothing but a 50+ year old boat, in fantastic shape and a bunch of clothing left now.

[Jhoffa_]

PS: Something I will never understand is why the Britts simply must come up with such gay names for all their hardware..

"Thistlegorm" Oh please..

[Jhoffa_]

The Tricolor was carrying 2,862 BMWs, Volvos and Saabs worth an estimated £30m when it sank off the French port of Dunkirk...

You take care of the scuba equipment, I'll bring some beer..

[Husker24]

For Christs sake cant they put a bouy or something at the location of the wreck, this is stupid, especially given that all commercial ships must have GPS by now.

[Husker24]

Agreed, didnt the British have an airplane in thier airforce called the "numbnut" or something like that?

[cmsgop]

Better be good beer.....

[Jhoffa_]

Agreed, didnt the British have an airplane in thier airforce called the "numbnut" or something like that?

I don't know, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me..

The nazi's had the coolest looking hardware. Our stuff was a mixed bag, but most of it was cool. Then it's like the Brits went out of their way to come up with gay looking and sounding hardware. It worked, no doubt... but still, those awful names.

Talk about demoralizing.

[Jhoffa_]

LOL!

[monkeyshine]

It is strange... of all the area in the seas to sail, it's very bizarre to hear of 2 ships hitting the same sunken ship in a matter of weeks. A few 100 feet either way and you'd never know it was there.

[Husker24]

Yes, the Russians have/had some great stuff too, with some cool names. I dont know witch is worse the British or the Chinese, who simply give the name "A" or "1" to any thing they develope, "yawn" also, you ever notice all the Chinese uniforms seem to have that one size fits all look. The Soviets and the Nazis might have been classic bad guys, but at least they kicked ass in style......lol