Terrible ferry tragedy off South Korea
Discussion
Asterix said:
B17NNS said:
Eric Mc said:
If this is true - that is shocking. If the vessel remained floating for 8 hours it should have been almost 100% survivable.
Indeed. Looks like a death toll in the 300's. Captain one of the first in the lifeboats. 
MarshPhantom said:
Asterix said:
B17NNS said:
Eric Mc said:
If this is true - that is shocking. If the vessel remained floating for 8 hours it should have been almost 100% survivable.
Indeed. Looks like a death toll in the 300's. Captain one of the first in the lifeboats. Witness accounts - phone calls and texts from children on board to parents ashore - speak of them obediently queued-up, crammed into ever more inclining corridors that most likely drowned in. Surely they'd have had more chance on deck, even if lifeboats weren't deployed?
MarshPhantom said:
Asterix said:
B17NNS said:
Eric Mc said:
If this is true - that is shocking. If the vessel remained floating for 8 hours it should have been almost 100% survivable.
Indeed. Looks like a death toll in the 300's. Captain one of the first in the lifeboats. I hope he is held completely responsible.
If anything else, where's the man's honour?
Digga said:
I simply cannot understand how or why that would happen.
Witness accounts - phone calls and texts from children on board to parents ashore - speak of them obediently queued-up, crammed into ever more inclining corridors that most likely drowned in. Surely they'd have had more chance on deck, even if lifeboats weren't deployed?
Yep there is footage on some sites of the rescue under way with what looks like people inside waiting for rescuers to come and break the windows, but the ship is gradually slipping underwater with massive plumes of displaced water flying up as the air rushes out of what doorways are open Witness accounts - phone calls and texts from children on board to parents ashore - speak of them obediently queued-up, crammed into ever more inclining corridors that most likely drowned in. Surely they'd have had more chance on deck, even if lifeboats weren't deployed?
Horrible
If I'm ever on a sinking ferry, sod it, I'm getting to an outdoor deck near one of the simple inflatable life raft types (that doesn't need to be virtually craned off the ship etc) regardless of what any announcements and no entry signs are saying.
I strongly suspect cultural reasons had a massive part to play in this, in a similar way to the Asiana crash in San Francisco. A desire by the captain not to declare a full emergency or prepare for evacuation, and a willingness on the part of the passengers and schoolchildren to follow the instructions they were given.
Digga said:
I simply cannot understand how or why that would happen.
Witness accounts - phone calls and texts from children on board to parents ashore - speak of them obediently queued-up, crammed into ever more inclining corridors that most likely drowned in. Surely they'd have had more chance on deck, even if lifeboats weren't deployed?
Yes, without a doubt. Just following the emergency instructions that should be on the inside of every cabin door would do you good, it's all basic stuff; put on warm clothing, make your way to your muster station, take a lifejacket and put it on, get in a liferaft/lifeboat as instructed by the crew. Doing any of these is better than staying in your cabin. Not starting evacuation immediately is incomprehensible, as the process is entirely reversible right up to the point you release the craft into the water. Even if you think there may be a possibility the hull is not holed, or the flooding can be held in check by bilge pumps, having the passengers ready at the muster stations is no hardship.Witness accounts - phone calls and texts from children on board to parents ashore - speak of them obediently queued-up, crammed into ever more inclining corridors that most likely drowned in. Surely they'd have had more chance on deck, even if lifeboats weren't deployed?
Foppo said:
Can't believe he the Captain left the ship as he did.Vessel speed was 18 knots that is a fair lick of speed.
Did it go over in shallow water or hit a sunken container?
Odds are it hit the bottom; a container with a low enough density to float isn't heavy enough to do much damage even at 18 kts. It will punch a hole in the forepeak and make a mess, but the ship isn't going to sink unless the crew actively let it.Did it go over in shallow water or hit a sunken container?
Magog said:
I strongly suspect cultural reasons had a massive part to play in this, in a similar way to the Asiana crash in San Francisco. A desire by the captain not to declare a full emergency or prepare for evacuation, and a willingness on the part of the passengers and schoolchildren to follow the instructions they were given.
I don't want to rag on the South Koreans, as I work with them and they are some really nice people. But they do, as a culture, have a Confusianism-based hierarchical system that leads them to obey instructions and not admit failure. That's a great thing when you turning your country from a agricultural backwater into a first-world industrial powerhouse, but not so much when your ferry is sinking.Koreans have three loyalties: Korea, their family, and their employer. And f**k everyone else.
That is a horrible generalisation, but when you're lying in the street after an accident and they're just driving and walking past you, it suddenly becomes clear.
Whatever your cultural upbringing; cowardice and selfishness are not qualities to be admired, respected or defended.
All the captain has managed to do is bring shame to his employer, his country and his family. He's a coward. Same as Schettino. If you're in command you stay there until you are relieved by the rescue services or there is absolutely nothing else you can do to help.
He has blood on his hands tonight.
All the captain has managed to do is bring shame to his employer, his country and his family. He's a coward. Same as Schettino. If you're in command you stay there until you are relieved by the rescue services or there is absolutely nothing else you can do to help.
He has blood on his hands tonight.
Every time I fly, there is a safety briefing prior to take off, despite the fact that in a plame the chances are quite high that if something goes wrong you are totally f
ked, and it won't make a blind bit of difference.
If something goes wrong on a ferry, however, one theoretically has a much better chance of surviving it - they don't aften plunge instantly to the bottom of the ocean. Yet the safety briefing on board a passenger ferry is often fairly brief and perfunctory with no guarantee that anyone is paying attention to the information which really could make all the difference. I'm not particularly keen on travelling by the closed-in SeaCat type of ferry - how the bloody hell one goes about evacuating one of those, god alone knows
Maybe it's time to look at the safety procedures on board passenger vessels generally. The thought that these children died because there was a lack of organisation is just too horrendous for words. Maybe it's also time that more traditional lifeboats were replaced with units that were easier to detatch and self-inflated on contact with the water - a lifeboat you can't winch down because the vessel is listing too much is sod all use to anyone.
ked, and it won't make a blind bit of difference.If something goes wrong on a ferry, however, one theoretically has a much better chance of surviving it - they don't aften plunge instantly to the bottom of the ocean. Yet the safety briefing on board a passenger ferry is often fairly brief and perfunctory with no guarantee that anyone is paying attention to the information which really could make all the difference. I'm not particularly keen on travelling by the closed-in SeaCat type of ferry - how the bloody hell one goes about evacuating one of those, god alone knows
Maybe it's time to look at the safety procedures on board passenger vessels generally. The thought that these children died because there was a lack of organisation is just too horrendous for words. Maybe it's also time that more traditional lifeboats were replaced with units that were easier to detatch and self-inflated on contact with the water - a lifeboat you can't winch down because the vessel is listing too much is sod all use to anyone.
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