Costa Concordia Runs Aground / Deaths Reported

[Rogillio]

What have I learned from this tragedy and from this thread?

1. If I go back to my room to get my life vest, I will grab by passport and billfold (which I never carry with me on the ship). If someone in the family was on medication, I'd grab that too. Might even grab a sweater for my family or to give to someone on deck in need. If there are extra life vests in the room, I'd bring them along too.

2. Trust my instincts. Just because someone says "It's just an electrical problem" or "No worries miss, we've likely just thrown a propeller..." doesn't make it so.

3. Always be prepared to swim. Sorry, that's just me. My family will not go down with a ship. We may drown in icy waters but they will recover our floating corpes on the surface, not find us weeks later on the bottom of the ocean.

4. Just because someone is a 'crew member' does not mean I need to put my life in his/her hands and trust them unequivically. There are reports of people sitting in lifeboats for 2 hrs! That is ludicrus. Again, I'm not going to the bottom of the ocean trapped in a full lifeboat that is latched to the ship. I'll take my chances swimming.

5. I still will not buy trip insurance. In this situation, you will be reimbursed 100% for all your troubles and expenses I gaurentee it. The cruise line group will be bending over backwards to reimburse all expenses and every bit of money they give out in reimbursements will reflect in their favor for the coming lawsuits.

6. This incident will increase some people's fears and will likely cause cruise prices to come down a little in the near term. I suspect DCL will be rethinking their announcement of an eastern Med cruise anytime soon. Doubtful they will change their itineraries but may wait till this dies down before making an announcement.

7. It will be interesting to read the finding of the investigation once they recover the 'black box' and learn what the ship was doing and what it did following hitting the rock that caused her to roll over. Did the pumps fail? Did the ballasts fail? Why did she roll away from where the big hole in the hull is?

8. I'm sure it was chilly out on deck so this is just one more reason not to wear shorts to dinner. (sorry, just had to throw that in)


Anyway, not looking to debate anyone. Just making my observations and sharing what I will take away from this. Thank God the loss of life appears to be minimal. This could have been much worse had this happened during a storm in violent waters or further from land.

~Mike

 

[gailg3horses]

Does anyone know, what will happen to this ship? Can it be righted? They obviously wont just leave it there would they? Sorry weird question at this time I know. So sad for the loss of life and to see a beautiful ship like this dead in the water.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I have so many questions, most will probably be answered with time, such as, how DID all those people get off the ship to safety? Were they all put into lifeboats (aside from those who jumped)? It looks like thousands were rescued, which is wonderful. How long did it take for the ship to list to the point that it was an unsafe trip down into the water for the lifeboats?

DD pointed out to me that it's been 100 years since Titanic - 1912-2012. It's so hard to believe this can happen in this day and age. What have we learned about ship safety/evacuation in the one hundred years since Titanic sank??? It's shocking to see this ship sitting on it's side like a toy the water. Such a tragedy. So sad.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I have so many questions, most will probably be answered with time, such as, how DID all those people get off the ship to safety? Were they all put into lifeboats (aside from those who jumped)? It looks like thousands were rescued, which is wonderful. How long did it take for the ship to list to the point that it was an unsafe trip down into the water for the lifeboats?

DD pointed out to me that it's been 100 years since Titanic - 1912-2012. It's so hard to believe this can happen in this day and age. What have we learned about ship safety/evacuation in the one hundred years since Titanic sank??? It's shocking to see this ship sitting on it's side like a toy the water. Such a tragedy. So sad.

I believe a lot of the lifeboats did get launched because there are photos of a lot of them at the docks. They also used a helicopter to airlift others off the ship, probably when the lifeboats were no longer able to launched or for those who were unable to get on one.

 

[truck1]

With respect I believe that while this is correct for cargo ships the requirements are not the same for passenger ships simply because it is considered impractical to provide enough boats on board for 8000+ people. I'm afraid that I do not have my copy of SOLAS with me so I cannot quote chapter and verse but I am pretty certain that the requirements for passenger ships are as follows:

1. Lifeboats sufficient to carry a minimum of 37.5% of the ships capacity on each side (so 75% in total - considering the normal ratio of 1 crew member per 2 or 3 passengers this should be enough for all passengers to have a space in a lifeboat).
2. Liferafts to make this capacity up to 100% split equally on each side.
3. Liferafts to carry an ADDITIONAL 25% of the ships capacity split equally on each side.

.

Respectfully, there was more to the liferaft/lifeboat code. This is the rest of it.

(1) On each side of the vessel—

(i) Liferafts are carried with an aggregate capacity sufficient to accommodate the total number of persons on board and are stowed in a position providing for easy side-to-side transfer at a single open deck level; or

(ii) Liferafts are carried with an aggregate capacity sufficient to accommodate 150 percent of the total number of persons on board. If the rescue boat required under §199.202 is also a lifeboat, its capacity may be included to meet the aggregate capacity requirement.

(2) If the largest survival craft on either side of the vessel is lost or rendered unserviceable, there must be survival craft available for use on each side of the vessel, including those which are stowed in a position providing for side-to-side transfer at a single open deck level, with a capacity sufficient to accommodate the total number of persons on board.

 

[Rogillio]

Does anyone know, what will happen to this ship? Can it be righted? They obviously wont just leave it there would they? Sorry weird question at this time I know. So sad for the loss of life and to see a beautiful ship like this dead in the water.

I've been thinking about this also. They have a 1/2 a billion dollar ship there so my guess is after the investigation is over they will weld steel over the holes, pump her out, tugg her off the rock and right her and then tow her to dry dock where she will be refurb'd.

If I were the cruise line CEO, I'd sell her to another cruiseline where she'd have her named changed so future passengers would be less likely to know this was 'the ship that sank'. Some have speculated she'd be scrapped but I don't see them scrapping a 1/2 billion dollar ship!

 

[pxlbarrel]

Just read this news:

Authorities reduced to 17 from 40 the number of people still unaccounted for, with an Italian who worked in cabin service pulled from the wreckage of the Costa Concordia off the tiny Tuscan island of Grigio. A South Korean couple on their honeymoon were rescued late Saturday in the unsubmerged part of the liner when firefighters heard their screams.

Three people are confirmed dead after the huge cruise ship carrying more than 4,200 people ran aground on Friday night, forcing a chaotic and frightening evacuation. There are now six crew members and 11 passengers who haven’t been located, Tuscany’s regional president Enrico Rossi said.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Does anyone know, what will happen to this ship? Can it be righted? They obviously wont just leave it there would they? Sorry weird question at this time I know. So sad for the loss of life and to see a beautiful ship like this dead in the water.

A salvage firm will likely weld over the hole, right and float her with floating barge derricks and then a further inspection will be done......IMO.......she will be scrapped. Salt water and all the fancy electrical systems would make redoing her a very expensive thing.


Rogillio, she was a 1/2 billion dollar ship when new..........shes about 7 years old now and before the accident she was worth maybe 300 million,(its like a new car...you lose alot of value after you clear the parking lot/shipyard).........and even when scrapped there is alot of value in tearing her apart..........main engines, steel etc.......these all have value. Anyone looking to bebiuld her what have to pay that value........and after you gut/clean her out and rebiuld her, the costs could easily be another 1/2 billion.

Then add the fact that she would always be known as the *one* that sank, no matter what name....its unlikely she will ever sail again.


AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Respectfully, there was more to the liferaft/lifeboat code. This is the rest of it.

(1) On each side of the vessel—

(i) Liferafts are carried with an aggregate capacity sufficient to accommodate the total number of persons on board and are stowed in a position providing for easy side-to-side transfer at a single open deck level; or

(ii) Liferafts are carried with an aggregate capacity sufficient to accommodate 150 percent of the total number of persons on board. If the rescue boat required under §199.202 is also a lifeboat, its capacity may be included to meet the aggregate capacity requirement.

(2) If the largest survival craft on either side of the vessel is lost or rendered unserviceable, there must be survival craft available for use on each side of the vessel, including those which are stowed in a position providing for side-to-side transfer at a single open deck level, with a capacity sufficient to accommodate the total number of persons on board.

When going though the regs...................as you pointed out you...... have to include lifeboats and rafts.........and para 2 pionts out how the capacity can be shifted/played with.

Before the days of rafts.......it was 100% capacity, this is Titanic days .




AKK

 

[pxlbarrel]

Ugh...and with the good news come some more bad news... from the BBC:

Emergency teams have found two more bodies in the partially submerged Costa Concordia cruise liner that sank off the western coast of Italy.

The BBC's Bethany Bell reports on the search for survivors ''above and below'' the cruise ship
It brings to five those known to have died after the ship, carrying more than 4,000 people, hit rocks on Friday.

The coastguard said divers searching the vessel found the bodies of two elderly men trapped in a flooded area.

 

[Rogillio]

As of right now there are 5 dead and 15 unaccounted for.

 

[pxlbarrel]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16568760

The BBC has a video interview with the captain.

 

[Rogillio]

When going though the regs...................as you pointed out you...... have to include lifeboats and rafts.........and para 2 pionts out how the capacity can be shifted/played with.

Before the days of rafts.......it was 100% capacity, this is Titanic days .




AKK

I have not seen any (photographic) evidence that they deployed any of the rafts. Since the shore was only a short distance, perhaps the boats made multiple trips?

 

[pxlbarrel]

I have not seen any (photographic) evidence that they deployed any of the rafts. Since the shore was only a short distance, perhaps the boats made multiple trips?

In the earlier Facebook photo link, there's a photo of a bunch of liferafts at the docks... along with a photo of lifeboats.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I have so many questions, most will probably be answered with time, such as, how DID all those people get off the ship to safety? Were they all put into lifeboats (aside from those who jumped)? It looks like thousands were rescued, which is wonderful. How long did it take for the ship to list to the point that it was an unsafe trip down into the water for the lifeboats?

DD pointed out to me that it's been 100 years since Titanic - 1912-2012. It's so hard to believe this can happen in this day and age. What have we learned about ship safety/evacuation in the one hundred years since Titanic sank??? It's shocking to see this ship sitting on it's side like a toy the water.
Such a tragedy. So sad.

If you think about it.........the idea in*IN TODAYS DAY AND AGE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN*......that is the same thing they thought back in 1912.

This is why the muster drills and wearing a lifevest to each drill is so important........to know wherethe vest is and how to put the vest on ( I know its not reqiured but it dam well should be).......where to muster.

AKK

 

[Minnie Monellen]

If you think about it.........the idea in*IN TODAYS DAY AND AGE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN*......that is the same thing they thought back in 1912.

This is why the muster drills and wearing a lifevest to each drill is so important........to know wherethe vest is and how to put the vest on ( I know its not reqiured but it dam well should be).......where to muster.

AKK

I agree!

 

[Alexander]

If you think about it.........the idea in*IN TODAYS DAY AND AGE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN*......that is the same thing they thought back in 1912.

This is why the muster drills and wearing a lifevest to each drill is so important........to know wherethe vest is and how to put the vest on ( I know its not reqiured but it dam well should be).......where to muster.

AKK

If you click on the facebook link on the second page of this thread, you can see that the lifeboats on the listing side of the ship were launched. If you continue to look through the pictures you will see the lifeboats and the rafts are lined up at a dock on the island.

 

[Rogillio]

If you think about it.........the idea in*IN TODAYS DAY AND AGE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN*......that is the same thing they thought back in 1912.

This is why the muster drills and wearing a lifevest to each drill is so important........to know wherethe vest is and how to put the vest on ( I know its not reqiured but it dam well should be).......where to muster.

AKK

Ironically, it does not appear that donning a lifevest saved anyone. Best I can tell, only those who voluntarily jumped in and made a swim for it actually got wet. Not saying people don't need to know where the vests are - although that is pretty obvious the first time you open you closet.

Knowing how to 'put the vest on' seems kind of strange to me but I suppose there are people in the world who have never seen a life vest....just like people who might not know how to operate a seatbelt on an airplane.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I think it will be quite a while before all the facts are known. I do not take the fact that the Captain has been arrested as any indication that there was malfeasance--not all courts of law assume that someone is innocent until proven guilty, and it is possible that in Italy the captain could be held just for being involved with the shipwreck.

There is a lot of contradictory information about, and I don't think that things will become clearer any time soon, especially to those of us making sense of it from across the globe with third hand information.

I think, he is in "custody", while they "investigate" the charges. Anything less, the Italians would feel, the authorities weren't doing their job. If, he's at fault, they want him held accountable....not have this swept aside. It's just their way.

This ship should have been on the OPPOSITE side of the island. The Captain could have brought her in, after she sustained damage. This could explain, why she's so close to land. IMO I still, can't get over...she's on the wrong side. Can Tonka or someone give an explanation, as to why? Or, is this the big flag, I think it is?

 

[luv2sleep]

If you think about it.........the idea in*IN TODAYS DAY AND AGE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN*......that is the same thing they thought back in 1912.

This is why the muster drills and wearing a lifevest to each drill is so important........to know wherethe vest is and how to put the vest on ( I know its not reqiured but it dam well should be).......where to muster.

AKK

I remember having our lifeboat drill next to our lifeboat with our life vests on. I've been on 4 non-Disney cruises and can't remember if we did that on all of them or just some. I don't remember not doing it that way though. I haven't cruised in a few years so I could be wrong. Is the trend now to not do them this way anymore?