T&T: Boating Accidents in the News

[Kevin Redden]

> -----Original Message-----
> .........  Namely, A cruise ship 17 NM off course to Boston from
> Bermuda; An ore vessel collides with a 92 ft S/V, killing the a crew
> member;  A Coast Guard patrol hits a tour boat, twice, near Miami;  lastly,
Ship
> capsizes in Albany, NY, while loading heavy cargo.  
> Can  anyone answer, "Why so many recently"?   

Joe,

Would I be correct in that the accidents you were talking about are:

  Royal Majesty      1995   Rose and Crown Shoal Nantucket 
  CG242513           2002   Biscayne Bay          
  Stellamare         2003   Albany NY
  Barkald / Essence  2006   Long Island Sound

If so, I wouldn't think of that to be "so many recently" at all given that the
four incidents go all the way back to 1995, and only one was less than three
years ago.

As long as you bring up the case of the Royal Majesty grounding on Rose and
Crown Shoal near Nantucket, the NTSB report makes for some fascinating reading.
If clearly shows the problem about complacency and over confidence on GPS, while
ignoring other navigational systems on the vessel.

I highly recommend a reading of that report, available at the NTSB at
www.ntsb.gov/publictn/1997/MAR9701.htm

Kevin