Cargo Ship snaps in half

[rgranger]

You may remember the Vendée Globe ship that snapped in half in rough seas... well it happened to a cargo ship and now they have video.

Cargo ship breaks in half off Turkey

When Vendée Globe skipper Kevin Escoffier was forced to abandon his IMOCA off of Cape Town this past November when it folded up on a wave at 27 knots, it

www.sailingscuttlebutt.com

 

[Leeward Rail]

interesting use of the radio. Understandable panic initially.

saw a ship to starboard at the beginning of that. I assume they helped rescue the crew ? Only half of them survived.

Would merchant ships have alarms for alerting crew to get to deck muster stations in situations like this ?

 

[rgranger]

It was a 40 year old ship. It would be great if they could examine the wreakage and see if the keel was rusted through.

 

[rgranger]

Here is another video ... not as dramatic but maybe harder to watch.

 

[Leeward Rail]

It was a 40 year old ship. It would be great if they could examine the wreakage and see if the keel was rusted through.

Hull intégrité was a common problem for old vessels under some flags.
My brother in law used to handle SAR for ships off Canada's Atlantic coast.
The worst incident was when the bow broke off a freighter and then a Sea King SAR crew out of Nova Scotia crashed enroute.

 

[shemandr]

In the story about a USCG rescue off Chatham MA, The Finest Hours, there were 2 T-6 takers that broke in half during a violent nor'easter. In those days they weren't that well built. One of them was towed to a shipyard, repaired and returned to service. One hull of another had to be shelled by the USN to sink it. The oilers didn't sink that easily because of the remaining oil in them. Had they been carrying ore, well.... glug-a-lug.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Great! Another forthcoming episode of “Disaster at Sea”. It’s a weekly TV program.

 

[shemandr]

Great! Another forthcoming episode of “Disaster at Sea”. It’s a weekly TV program.

Where do I view that?

 

[capta]

This is nothing new, or in fact, unusual.
It's the main reason I tell folks they are safer on a small boat in those conditions. Small boats rarely span a couple of waves with nothing supporting the middle. We sail up one side and down the other instead. Any well built and seaworthy pleasure craft should be able to survive the worst weather, even if her skipper makes a few errors.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Small boats rarely span a couple of waves with nothing supporting the middle.

Wasn't the Great Western a victim.of that ?
Flex until broken.

 

[capta]

Wasn't the Great Western a victim.of that ?
Flex until broken.

Great Western worked to New York for 8 years until her owners went out of business. She was sold to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and was scrapped in 1856 after serving as a troop ship during the Crimean War.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Great Western worked to New York for 8 years until her owners went out of business. She was sold to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and was scrapped in 1856 after serving as a troop ship during the Crimean War.

Hmm..
I seem to remember a very early and large steamship that broke in half at sea.

Can't seem to find anything in a quick search. I keep getting a lot of hits on the ship from the original post.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Well... I did find some other interesting cases where ships broke in half:

Ship, moored at dock, suddenly cracked in half | Offbeat Oregon History | #ORhistory

The combination of bitter cold air and relatively warm river water acted on the S.S. Schenechtady's brittle welded-steel plates like boiling water poured into a cold Mason jar. The results were similar, but on a massive scale. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1940s) -- #ofor #oregonHistory...

offbeatoregon.com

The Ship That Broke Her Back - Shipping Wonders of the World

The story of the salvage of the British steamer Araby, which in September 1916 unwittingly blocked Boulogne Harbour

www.shippingwondersoftheworld.com

Or were cut in half, salvaged, and repaired after running aground:

Ship Surgery - Shipping Wonders of the World

This website is designed to share information about the magazine Shipping Wonders of the World. Published in 55 weekly instalments from 30 January 1936 through to 23 February 1937, it covered a vast range of shipping subjects.

www.shippingwondersoftheworld.com

"The undertaking would present no great difficulty now, but at that time the use of the oxy-acetylene flame was unknown. The only way to do the work was to cut through the whole ship, including the main strength deck and the double bottom, with dynamite. "

 

[garymalmgren]

And then there is the "One Australia" or was it the "Two Half Australia?"

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1638041156232814

 

[rgranger]

Wow
I had t seen that vid. Before

 

[Sailavie1]

Here is a oldie but a goodie about this issue from down under.

 

[shemandr]

Last heard from the skipper of One Australia was "Release the backstay!" Not really but that's what I imagine. Nevertheless with rigging tensions tight and the boat built light, a few waves and you've got a broken boat.
That was many generations of boats ago. Imagine the IMOCA's. Crazy!

 

[rgranger]

Here is a oldie but a goodie about this issue from down under.

That is a good one. I'd seen it before but it was worth seeing again. Kind of reminds me of the old Monty Python gags.

“Tis but a scratch.”

 

[Pirate Dave]

I love that clip

What is the minimum crew requirement?


Well one I supppose

 

[Leeward Rail]

I love that clip

What is the minimum crew requirement?


Well one I supppose

That clip is full of lies.

Sure, some info is true..
For example some ships are designed so the bow doesn't fall off, etc.

But a minimum crew of 1 ?

Here's proof.

Robot ships will bring big benefits — and put captains on shore

The same technologies used in driverless cars are set to transform the shipping industry.

www.nbcnews.com