why ships sink

[Bill Seddon]

I agree with your comments on ships designs.When is this frenzy going to stop.Building bigger and bigger ships,Seems like a competion to say We have the biggest cruise ship than yours.To safely evacuate 5,000.Pax in a emergency has all the hallmarks of a disaster waiting to happen.I just hope this never happens,also given most pax are not as able bodied as some,in the stamped to get to muster stations many will not make it.I have spent time on ships and also done a few cruises,so if you think Im mischief making,please think about this in all its possibilities.

[Captain Kong]

I was on Queen Elizabeth two months ago out of San Francisco, it was a few weeks after Concordia. the Muster for emergencies, Fire of Lifeboat had never been updated. we still had to walk down to the bottom of the ship to deck One, and sit in the Theatre, the boat deck was on deck Three, then the Theatre could have been filling with smoke or water depending on the emergency. Then a dancing girl or shop assistant would get us to follow her back uo three decks to the boat deck. Now can you imagine 2 or 3 or 4+ Thousand screaming shoving , pushing big fat Walmart Blue Rinse Matrons jamming the stairs and corridors?.
This is a Guaranteed Disaster. and one day it will happen.
The Ship owners must get their act together. also the relevent Authorities./
Cheers
Brian.

[robpage]

This is a paragraph from WIKIPEDIA...............
.
Captain Yiannis Avranas .
.
I dont know what kind of action was taken but I seem to think he was gaoled for a couple of years, but I am not too sure.

Hard one to find but it appears that the Greek government actually took no action against him and Epirotiki lines found him command of a Ferry on his return to Greece , as he was 52 at the time of the incident I can only assume he has retired by now .

In 1993 Epirotiki made a partnership with Carnival Cruise Lines, agreeing to purchase ships from Carnival in exchange for shares in Epirotiki. Following a friendly split, in August 1995 Epirotiki agreed to merge its operations with Sun Line, creating a new company named Royal Olympic Cruise Lines. Initially maintaining its two brand names, Royal Olympic Cruise Lines began planning a flotation of the company in 1997. The company restructured its holdings, creating a new entity, Royal Olympia Cruise Lines, and listed on the NASAQ (ROCLF) in 1998. In 2001 Louis Cruise Lines, a member of the Louis Group of Companies, made an offer to purchase the shares in Royal Olympic Cruises, and the ROCL management subsequently passed to the Louis Group.

[Bill Seddon]

Ships sink because of Human error or lack of respect for the sea.Why.The sea has no respect for life.The elements takes no prisoners!!

[Red Lead Ted]

The White Star historian actually showed one of the rivets found on the sea bed and was talking about that very point on last nights documentary.

Q, Where was the last rivet to be placed aboard Titanic?...........Bere in mind it took 3,000,000 to complete Terry.

[Les Woodard]

Thats an easy one Terry. In the last hole.

[Tony Wilding]

well it will take a major disaster to change things, it allways does, i second the opinion of why keep getting bigger, the ratio of crew to passengers will get less. am suprised Cunard are so lax. muster station should be on the boat deck. or excuse s for boat decks, far too enclosed. its all about looks now, not practicality.

[Lou Barron]

Having read these posts on this subject i find there are some very good answers Tony Wilding in is first post said it all .We are always going to have disasters at sea .The sea can be very unforgiving .Just a few weeks ago a fishing trawler sunk just south of Bluff NZwith the loss of a family a rogue wave is said to be the cause . ITS a cruel sea

[happy daze john in oz]

Big ships, big aircraft. In 1965 I took my first flight in a DC3 that had seen war service. It was at the time one of the bigger ones around, now they are double deckers. Ships in our days that took maybe 750 bloods we considered to be big. times and ideas change. But I agree 6,000 is too big but I suspect such a ship would be used in only certain waters. As to lifeboat drill, from my experience it depends on the shipping company. P&O get everyone into the theatre, not much of a show if she is going down. Princess get you into a point closest to you nominated life boat for the druill. Royal Caribbean have you on deck by your lifeboat during the drill and if you do not appear for roll call you will not be allowed to sail.

[Tony Wilding]

people see glossy photos of calm blue Mediterranean seas, advertising cruises, some of the roughest seas i have known were in the Gulf of Lyon off Genoa, the cruise ships are becoming more vunerable by there design trends.