Elbe No. 5 sinking

[Condi]

Video here of the last 45 seconds or so before the collision with the merchant vessel which sank her.

https://gcaptain.com/video-shows-frantic-moments-b...


Looks to be a lack of decision making from the crew of the sailing vessel. They had ample opportunity (regardless of COLREGs) to bear away to port and go behind the container ship, and yet tried to tack through the wind in the final seconds before impact. Quite odd behaviour.

[brman]

Condi said:

Video here of the last 45 seconds or so before the collision with the merchant vessel which sank her.

https://gcaptain.com/video-shows-frantic-moments-b...


Looks to be a lack of decision making from the crew of the sailing vessel. They had ample opportunity (regardless of COLREGs) to bear away to port and go behind the container ship, and yet tried to tack through the wind in the final seconds before impact. Quite odd behaviour.

Looks very odd. On the face of it looks like the container ship was attempting to turn to port. iirc that is against colregs. But then playing chicken with a container vessel is also against common sense! (and, arguably, colregs) As you say, the decision point to get the f*&^ out of danger was before the video even starts........

I do wonder if there was something else going on that is not clear in the video. eg the container ship changed course. Maybe it was constrained by depth?

EDIT: I just read elsewhere it was the schooner than changed course and caused the collision. Very odd. Although I know from experience that container ships come down on you frighteningly fast so it is very easy to get caught out.

Edited by brman on Saturday 22 June 19:38

[paintman]

"An investigation will determine the cause of the collision between the pilot schooner and the Cyprus-flagged container ship, Astrosprinter. Current reports suggest that the schooner turned across the fairway, directly into the path of the container ship. The Guardian describes the course change as a “failed tack” by the gaff-rigged schooner. Other reports suggest that the container ship was outside the channel lane."
http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2019/06/pilot-schooner-...