If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. En route to Durban, the Oceanos cruise ship set out from the port of East London on Saturday, August 3, 1991, into 40-knot winds and nine-meter swells. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Technical diving is an exact science, and every member of the team performed their tasks with efficiency and focus. Although only three divers made it to the wreck, it was the role of each team member that made it possible. They were taken from the hotel to the airport five minutes before the plane left, otherwise we would still be there judging us , says Nikolaou. Captains accused of leaving prematurely often claim they can manage the situation better from the safety of a lifeboat, rescue vessel or on shore. All Rights Reserved. ":rolleyes: I don't know what ever happened to him. Many scenarios have been done, my brother. A Greek board of inquiry found Avranas and four officers negligent in their handling of the disaster. Royer, however, died after suffering a head injury when he finally left the ship. . Brett and Paul penetrated the portside corridor behind the on-deck pool while Barry singularly explored the large dining hall area. What happened to the captain of the Costa Concordia? Gas exchanges with backup divers at set points during the ascent worked flawlessly, and the divers surfaced on schedule without incident. Some early newspaper reports, allegedly supported by eyewitnesses, say he had shot himself with a pistol, though few historians give them any credence. / Updated May 22, 2010 / 12:42 PM PDT 20 PHOTOS . The objective was to show how the application of experience and established diving technique to a near-insurmountable challenge could safely lead to success. South Korean authorities have arrested Capt. Its captain was accused of manslaughter and abandoning the 4,200 passengers and crew on the night of the wreck. The current on the surface was running reverse, and there was no sign of the dreaded Northeaster. In a matter of minutes, the occupants returned with a very favorable report on conditions. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), 5 Maritime Disasters You Might Not Know About, Titanic By the Numbers: From Construction to Disaster to Discovery, Why Nobody Remembers America's Worst Maritime Disaster, https://www.history.com/news/costa-concordia-cruise-ship-disaster-sinking-captain, The Costa Concordia Disaster: How Human Error Made It Worse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWGXa8QivR4. On the morning of July 12, 1952, Forges Chantiers de la Gironde launched the last of four sister ships in Bordeaux, France, under the name of Jean Laborde. But in interviews, Captain Avranas was unapologetic for leaving the ship ahead of others, saying he was better able to direct rescue efforts from shore. The Agulhas shifts an estimated volume of 70 x 106m3/s down the East Coast of South Africa, making it the most powerful current on the globe. He in consultation with the international federation fled Nikolaou to Greece. The most famous, perhaps, is the captain of the Titanic, E.J. He hit the bottom, got back up, side of the fault and was swallowed by the sea forever.. [15], Prior to the events of January 1991, Avranas had apparently given no interview to the media. But the Carpathia was 58 milesor some four hoursaway. Passengers thought the captain had left the ship. TRY ASKING HOST DOUGhe usually knows those things. The captain broadcasted a distress signal as he tried to steer the ship towards shore in order for rescuers to reach them. The Greek government is not doing anything about the incident. The ship was left adrift. They understood their roles and contributed to the success of this dive. 2012 The Associated Press. REBELLION RESEARCH ADVISORS, L.P. IS A REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISER AND NOT FOR PROFIT EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH THINK TANK. A coast guard member angrily told him on the phone to Get back on board, damn it!a recorded sound bite that turned into a T-shirt slogan in Italy. From that point on, Smiths activities become more of a blur. Powered by Invision Community. They began launching the remaining lifeboats, with up to 90 people in each, but were unable to start their engines. Smith now knew the Titanic was doomed. He remains incarcerated in a prison just outside of Rome, where he is expected to stay until he is around 80 years old. Attaining a maximum depth of 86.4m, the three divers initially made their way North to the stern, where Brett Hawton had time to pose next to the raised Greek lettering, spelling out the name OKEANOZ. Only entertainment staff, singers and waiters helped us later. The Oceanos had been on its usual route along the South African coast when it encountered heavy rains and gale-force winds. What happened to the captain of the Oceanos? -. Her bow hit the sand 92m below the surface, while more than 60m of her stern remained aloft; minutes later, she was gone. After the sinking, Avranas attracted extensive media coverage, often being vilified and used as an example of poor professional behaviour while in command. Everyone on board the cruise ship Oceanos was safe and accounted for Monday, but survivors angrily accused the . [citation needed], Once the engines stopped, the ship began to roll so badly that in the lounge, which is where the passengers had gathered, crockery and cutlery began sliding off the tables and potted plants fell over. Some countries, like Italy, have included it in national laws. In Greece the case was referred to the High Council of Maritime Accidents of the Ministry of Maritime. In addition to Schettino, Ferrarini and Rusli Bin, the other people who received convictions for their role in the disaster were Cabin Service Director Manrico Giampedroni, First Officer Ciro Ambrosio and Third Officer Silvia Coronica. I sure hope he's no longer a ship's captain anywhere! / AP. It has been reported that the ship was in a state of neglected maintenance with loose hull plates and an unfitted ventilation pipe. "His duty as the highest authority available short of God himself was to make sure his crew was safe before he left the ship," says Craig Symonds, a retired Naval Academy historian. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/news/titanic-captain-edward-smith-final-hours-death. By God, you are right! Smith replied. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. ), READ MORE: Titanic By the Numbers: From Construction to Disaster to Discovery. Still others believed he had made it to an overturned lifeboat but lost his grip, possibly when one of the Titanics immense funnels broke loose and crashed into the water nearby. When the team arrived at the wreck marker buoys, it was evident that the current was almost non-existent and the wind and swell had all but disappeared. Smith also checked in periodically with the wireless operators until, at about 2 a.m., he released them from duty and told them to try to save themselves. Smith, who evacuated the ship women and children first until there were no lifeboats left, and then perished with it. Ralph White/Corbis/Getty Images. The Worst Christmas Story Ever: The Sinking of SS Leopoldville on 24 December 1944, How AI is Transforming Personal and Professional Investing, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, UC Berkeleys Financial Innovation Conference, Why did Titanic Sink : A Scientific Analysis. To ask them to stare down death from the bridge, as the lights go out and the water rises, until everyone else has made it to safety? Special Section: Italian Cruise DisasterCruise ship to port: It's just a blackoutPressure mounts on cruise ship divers. Yiannis Avranas (born ca. Whilst laying the anchor line on the Oceanos that day, the boats remained almost stationary as the opposing forces of wind and current battled against each other for ascendancy. I knew then we were soon going.. Blowing in the same direction as the current, a strong northeasterly wind would slowly increase the rate of flow beyond that conducive for diving. The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived, but Captain Yiannis Avranas and other officers left the ship while some passengers were still on board. [3] Entertainment manager Robin Boltman was credited with gathering the passengers in the lounge and playing music to calm them. "That is the responsibility of the captain, that's why all privileges are given to him but he has together with that an equal burden of responsibility," Pacheco said. Brodersen, 60, said he never had to deal with that kind of situation, but he has sometimes thought about his own limit, when his survival instinct would trump the hope of salvaging a doomed ship. Smiths final moments arent definitively known, but reports varied widely. I will certainly avoid any Greek ferriesof course truth be known, I avoid all foreign ferries since I don't trust what they think an acceptable number of passengers is. How did the Oceanos go into the sea? [citation needed], While trying to make up lost time, Oceanos encountered rough seas. Something strong wind, something the helicopter pilot, they didnt let me down he said. The international and some Greek media condemned the attitude of Captain Yiannis Avranas. Soon after the collision, he and other officers saw what they believed to be the lights of a nearby ship. With holes in its walls, loose hull plates, and missing parts that control the flow of water, it looked pretty neglected. The crew said that likely saved their lives, because the ship's emergency beacon didn't work. The rescue featured in episode 4 of Shockwave, first aired 21 December 2007. He speaks five foreign languages, originally from Kasos, but was born in Egypt. [9], A Greek board of inquiry found Avranas and four officers negligent in their handling of the disaster. Stranger still are several widely publicized reports that he didnt die at all. Those who did earned instant infamy, like the captain of the Greek luxury liner Oceanos, which sank in rough seas off South Africa in 1991. The captain of the Oceanos was alerted to the problem after receiving reports of water entering some of the cabins on board. MACHINE LEARNING INVESTING IS SPECULATIVE BY NATURE. Edward Smith went down with the Titanic, the notion that a captain must stay with his ship became part of folklore. The weather forecast was predicting a strong northeasterly wind by morning, a factor that could easily mean the end of the expedition. Those who did earned instant infamy, like the captain of the Greek luxury liner Oceanos, which sank in rough seas off South Africa in 1991. Spouse. But the report noted that some passengers testified that they didnt hear the alarm to proceed to the lifeboats. Smith was accused of ignoring ice warnings from other ships and failing to reduce the ships speed to fit the conditions at hand. WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO BUSINESS IN NEW YORK, TEXAS AND KENTUCKY ALONG WITH OTHER STATES WHERE WE ARE REGISTERED, EXEMPTED OR EXCLUDED FROM REGISTRATION. In 1994, his English wife Davina published a book about the sinking, titled The Oceanos Tragedy. What happened to the crew and captain? "Abandon is for everybody. Maritime experts said the tradition of a captain standing by his ship isn't established in international maritime law. A recording of his conversation with the Italian Coast Guard suggests he fled before all passengers were off, and resisted repeated orders to go back, saying the ship was tipping and it was dark. In the British and American inquiries that followed, a more complicated picture emerged. "You need someone on the ship to communicate with them, to command the people who are on the ship, to help get the passengers off and to guide the rescuers.". In between, however, the first engineer was terrified. In Moby-Dick, Captain Ahab sets off to hunt the whale, leaving the capable Starbuck in charge. "But that would come after the ship has been evacuated," he added. (Reuter) | Aug 07, 1991 8:00PM EDT. [1], Oceanos was launched in July 1952 by Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde in Bordeaux, France as Jean Laborde, the last of four sister ships built for Messageries Maritimes. The current, too, was very strong, and the team was worried. 1940) had been an officer for twenty years and a seaman for thirty. Making the most of the break, the team took some time out from the daily diving routine to explore the remarkable area with its beautiful landscapes and majestic sea views. Outwardly, Smith seems to have kept up a brave front, appearing captain-like to the last, at least to most observers. Moving toward the bow, bad visibility and a substantially more damaged part of the wreck greeted the divers. The ship ran aground off the Italian coast in 2012, killing 32 people. Follow her on Twitter at @MsBeckyLittle. [3][4] Oceanos headed into 40-knot winds and 9m (30ft) swells. [9] All 581 people on board were saved. Captain Yiannis Avranas told reporters in Durban that he did not desert the ship but left to coordinate rescue efforts from shore. The generators had been shorted, and the supply of power to the engines had been severed. Through the confusion,the captain somehow made it into a lifeboat before everyone else had made it off. (Schettino insisted the ship sailed close to shore to salute other mariners and give passengers a good view.) "Some people panic, but a short time later they collect their senses and do the right thing," Allen said. "He deeply regrets not being with his crew. Francesco Schettino had handed himself in to the Rebibbia prison in Rome after the verdict, his lawyer said. The sense that captains are beyond the law that they are the law, or at least they were, during the age of sail is why they make such great bad guys. He would attempt to sit there. "A lot of this is candidly still more lore than law," says Miller Shealy, a maritime law professor at the Charleston School of Law. Michigan Senator William Alden Smith, who chaired the Senate investigative committee, charged that Captain Smiths indifference to danger was one of the direct and contributing causes of this unnecessary tragedy., But the senator also gave him credit for his manly bearing and his tender solicitude for the safety of women and little children as well as his willingness to die.. At any time when you have an incident similar to Concordia, there is nevera single causal factor, says Brad Schoenwald, a senior marine inspector at the United States Coast Guard. Nearby vessels responded to the ships SOS and were the first to assist. More than 4,200 people were rescued, though 32 people died. [1] He was married to British national Davina Avrana.[3]. Why did the captain go down with the ship? The waves reached 14 meters. Both he and Paul had to carry stage cylinders for Brett that would be required at specific depths, so the team had to remain together throughout the dive. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. In a matter of hours, more than 1,500 passengers and crew would be dead, including Smith himself. On August 7, a news report emerged with the title: Battle for the critical hours . All Rights Reserved. Avranas at the time defended his actions, saying he left the ship to direct rescue operations. At about 9:30p.m., a muffled explosion was heard and Oceanos lost power. In another instance, Smith ordered that a lifeboat be lowered from the boat deck to the promenade deck, so passengers could climb in more easily. However, an Italian naval admiral testified in court that even though the helmsman was late in executing the captains orders, the crash wouldve happened anyway. (The helmsman was one of the four crew members convicted in court for contributing to the disaster. I wouldnt recommend this wreck to anyone but the best technical divers who really know what theyre doing.. Most crew members left first with lifeboats . What is glucosamine and fish oil good for? Barry Coleman was yelling, Its a good day to dive, I can feel it in my bones! Well, a good day it certainly was! This window period, although based on unscientific information provided by maritime vessels in the area, falls in May and December. I would know him even without his beard.. The Greek government is not doing anything about the incident. After more than three hours in the water, they were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. Francesco Schettino, were charged with various crimes. After the required decompression runtimes, the divers surfaced, and the team returned to shore. May she rest in peace and be as kind to those that follow this great accomplishment. is University of Washington a good school. Now he was about to preside over one of the worst sea disasters of all time. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. As in August, throughout the two-week period of the expedition, they only managed to reach the wreck on two occasions with a maximum bottom time of eight minutes. He had set sail for a sandy area at four miles, which he had found on the map. "It comes from the tradition that the captain has ultimate responsibility and should put the care of others ahead of his own well-being in the discharge of his duties," says David Winkler, program director with the Naval Historical Foundation. Various factors affect the flow rate of the current including pressure systems, the position of flow, coastal-trapped waves, and wind. At 12:05 a.m. Smith gave orders to uncover the lifeboats and alert the passengers. We strive for accuracy and fairness. All considered, said Canadian-American fellow team member and cave diving world record holder Paul Heinerth, the Oceanos is probably one of the most, if not the most difficult wreck in the world to dive. The difficulties of diving on the Oceanos are extreme, but with commitment and proper planning, the dive is not impossible. The wreck was not the fault of unexpected weather or ship malfunctionit was a disaster caused entirely by a series of human errors. "I can't lift my face before the passengers and family members of those missing," Lee told reporters. Sunk by uncontrolled flooding on 4 August 1991 off the coast of South Africa. The sewage and water systems had their one way "check valves" removed and not replaced. Once complete, the team focused on preparing for the dives. BE SURE TO FIRST CONSULT WITH A QUALIFIED FINANCIAL ADVISER, TAX PROFESSIONAL, OR ATTORNEY BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY STRATEGY OR RECOMMENDATION DISCUSSED HEREIN. In 2022, Moss Hills who later became a cruise director was interviewed by Jane Garvey for BBC Radio 4's series Life Changing. What should I say to the media? To the port authorities I have said that we hada blackout. (Ferrarini was later convicted for contributing to the disaster by delaying rescue operations.). I have made a mess and practically the whole ship is flooding, Schettino told Ferrarini while the ship was sinking. The ship reportedly headed into 40-knot winds and 30-foot swells, and thus the typical sail-away outdoor deck party with British entertainers Moss and Tracy Hills was moved to an indoor lounge. The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived, but Captain Yiannis Avranas and other officers left the ship while some passengers were still on board. Oceanos was briefly featured in the 1985 film Sky High and with another Epirotiki ship, Apollon XI, in the 1986 film Hardbodies 2. And he did not lighten his position after the accident when he told a foreign television station: The ship's abandonment applies to . A South African navy diver said the captain of the sunken Greek liner Oceanos pushed past elderly pa. [5], Oceanos sank bow first approximately 45 minutes after the last person was airlifted from the deck. Life seems to have been unaware that immediately after Silent Smiths death in 1915, the Lima News had identified the man as one Michael McKenna. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Meanwhile the extraction was completely broken, the engine room was filling water and tilting forward the ship. The Concordia was supposed to take passengers on a seven-day Italian cruise from Civitavecchia to Savona. All the while, the wind and swell were steadily dropping and, at 12:30, the decision to dive was made. For many years, seasoned technical diver, Barry Coleman, has had one consuming desire: to dive the Oceanos. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, newspapers cast Smith as a hero, the brave captain who went down with his ship. Greg Daugherty, alongtime magazine editor and frequent contributor to HISTORY.com, has also written on historical topics for Smithsonian, National Geographic Traveler, and other outlets. Making things worse, the crew had dropped the anchor incorrectly, causing the ship to flop over even more dramatically. Four months later, on December 23, Rehan Bouwer, Steve Minne, Johan Swart, Ian Symington, and Nicko Brand returned to the Oceanos. The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived . All three divers were ecstatic and eager to make the most of the prevailing conditions; the second dive was scheduled for the following day. There was no stopping the flooding and no hope for the Oceanos sinking. "When I order abandon ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave," Avranas said. "[9] They were among the last to be rescued. MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when she suffered uncontrolled flooding. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. The notorious Master of the vessel was Captain Yiannis Avranas. Some consider them to be dangerous deviations from planned routes. Will this discovery change our understanding of Titanic's final moments? Several estimated it was no more than five miles away. I just watched national geografic program about the Oceanos tragedy. Share; Posted May 23, 2010. The crew called him a secretary. Pryal was no ordinary crank, but a highly regarded local businessman who claimed to have been an officer aboard the White Star liner Majestic some 30 years before, when Smith was its captain. READ MORE: Why Nobody Remembers America's Worst Maritime Disaster. A magician who had been performing on the ship took over the bridge, monitoring rescue calls, as a fellow entertainer kept passengers calm by playing Beatles songs on his guitar. Smiths body was never recovered, and his final moments remain a mystery, with no shortage of conflicting accountsincluding one in which he jumped off the ship holding a baby. Nothing less will do in this profession," said Jorgen Loren, captain of a passenger ferry operating between Sweden and Denmark and chairman of the Swedish Maritime Officer's Association. The divers had penetrated 70m into the wreck with the aid of the scooters. Under charter by TFC Tours,[1] Oceanos initially delayed by a bomb threat set out from East London, South Africa on 3 August 1991, and headed for Durban. : "Go back on board!". Ship Captain. The ships were used on the Marseilles Madagascar Mauritius service. One week later, a 32-member team arrived on the scene as part of MNet Camera 7 news channels investigative documentary into the sinking of the Oceanos. The notorious master of the vessel was Captain Yiannis Avranas. He made the wrong choice. In its investigative report on the 2012 disaster, Italys Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports found that the Concordia was sailing too close to the coastline, in a poorly lit shore areaat an unsafe distance at night time and at high speed (15.5 kts)., In his trial, Captain Schettino blamed the shipwreck on Helmsman Jacob Rusli Bin, who he claimed reacted incorrectly to his order; and argued that if the helmsman had reacted correctly and quickly, the ship wouldnt have wrecked. Family members of passengers on a South Korean ferry that sank look at lists of survivors on Wednesday. Oceanos is one of the documented tragedies ever to happen in the sea and following a probe by maritime authorities, the captain and his crew were found to .
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