US navy ship collides, 7 missing

[viper37]

US Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald 'flooding' after container ship collision

At least three compartments of the USS Fitzgerald are reported to have flooded after the collision with the Philippine vessel ACX Crystal 56 miles southwest of Yokosuka.
Cmdr. Bryce Benson, Fitzgerald's commanding officer, was evacuated from the ship and taken to US Naval Hospital in Yokosuka where he is in a stable condition.
Two more sailors have also been taken by helicopter to hospital for what the US 7th Fleet said were "lacerations and bruises".

out of respect for the missing 7 sailors, I shall not make any jokes regarding Imperial Star Destroyers collinding with one anoter.

[Ed Anger]

Benson's Navy career is over.

[viper37]

most likely.  I'm curious to see how this could happen.  it was a container freighter, it should have been spotted by the ship's radar long before they couldn't avoid it.

[CountDeMoney]

it was a container freighter, it should have been spotted by the ship's radar long before they couldn't avoid it.

[jimmy olsen]

Freightes are pretty damn big. They should have seen it with their eyeballs.

[grumbler]

most likely.  I'm curious to see how this could happen.  it was a container freighter, it should have been spotted by the ship's radar long before they couldn't avoid it.

Rules of the Road.  If you are the Privileged Vessel, you CANNOT change course or speed to avoid a collision - but if the other ship's conn is being manned by Iron Mike, things can get hairy very quickly.

[grumbler]

Freightes are pretty damn big. They should have seen it with their eyeballs.

[jimmy olsen]

It's why I'm higher ranked than Cmdr. Benson

[dps]

WTF?

[Eddie Teach]

It's why I'm higher ranked than Cmdr. Benson

Nah, you're just an army captain.

[viper37]

Freightes are pretty damn big. They should have seen it with their eyeballs.

what I meant, is long before they could see it on a trajectory that would likely result in a collision course, they should have spotted there was a danger and take appropriate measures.

Rules of the Road.  If you are the Privileged Vessel, you CANNOT change course or speed to avoid a collision - but if the other ship's conn is being manned by Iron Mike, things can get hairy very quickly.

You mean the US Destroyer could likely not change course or speed to avoid the freighter when it looks likely it will be hit by some freighter?

How "fixed" are these rules?  Are they like absolute rules, or more like guidelines?

[The Brain]

I'd like to think that Western naval vessels have fewer instances of Costa Concordia style captaining than civilian ships, though they did run Missouri aground.

[11B4V]

Command of a destroyer just opened.

[Vricklund]

[quote ]
How "fixed" are these rules?  Are they like absolute rules, or more like guidelines?
[/quote]I think they're pretty fixed. The rule - as I learnt it growing up sailing - is that both boats should turn starboard when there's a risk of collision. Boats that are catching up veer for the slower ship until completely clear.

The damage is on the starboard side and shouldn't be if they both veered according to the rules and it doesn't look like its been hit from behind.

Motorboats often mistake the speed of sailboats, they're faster than you think, so I've been quite a few situations with a faster boat trying to squeeze past my bow. Possibly the destroyer made the same mistake in how fast that freighter was going.

[dps]

I'd like to think that Western naval vessels have fewer instances of Costa Concordia style captaining than civilian ships, though they did run Missouri aground.

Or look up the Honda Point Disaster.