Ferry Disasters
82Ferry Disasters Are Common
The Indonesian ferry boat disaster in January 2009 in which 250 passengers and crew are missing and presumed dead is a reminder that sea-going passenger and car ferries are among the most dangerous modes of transportation. Ferry boats are inherently unseaworthy in rough weather and dangerous because they sink quickly once they begin to take on water or capsize in heavy seas or experience collisions with other vessels or reefs. Moreover, regulations are lax and not enforced in many countries with the result that ferries are over-loaded and carry insufficient life preservers.
Before embarking on a ferry trip in open water, travelers are well advised to check the weather forecast; whether there are sufficient life preservers on the ferry; and to get off if it appears that the vessel will be overloaded. Special caution is in order in developing countries where ferries are not well regulated. However, caution is advisable as well in advanced countries where ferries are well maintained and regulated. These vessels can be unsafe anywhere in bad weather or in event of collision, crew error, equipment failure or overloading as in the recent sinking in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
As a result of the recent sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship in the Mediterranean, some are saying that many cruise ships are inherently unstable because of their shallow draft design. They are shallow draft so that they can enter ports that won't accommodate deeper draft ships, and they are top heavy because of demand to carry more passengers and provide more on board facilities--spas, swimming pools, etc. The Costa Concordia apparently went off course and struck a reef with 4,200 aboard. Nearly all were rescued including the Captain who is facing serious charges related to the grounding and sinking.
Several recent examples of recent ferry disasters are linked below.
5-8-12Telegraph--India Ferry Sinks with 250 On Board
- India ferry sinks with 250 on board - Telegraph
"The steamer was traveling with 250 people on board when it capsized midstream in the Brahmaputra following a storm," P.C. Haloi, police chief of Dhubri,told AFP by telephone. Witnesses saw victims being swept away by the swift river current.
5-3-12The Indian Express--Ferry Toll Could be 250; No Inspection in 16 Years
- Toll could be 250, no record of boat inspection in 16 yrs - Indian Express
Toll could be 250, no record of boat inspection in 16 yrs - Syed Ali Bepari of Monirgaon village under South Salmara police station in Dhubri district obtained permission in 1996 t
5-1-12BBCNews--100 Feared Dead in Indian Ferry Sinking
- BBC News - 'More than 100' feared dead in Indian ferry sinking
A ferry in north-eastern India's Assam state capsizes in bad weather, killing at least 103 passengers, police say.
5-1-12NYTimes--River Ferry in India Capsizes in Storm, Scores Missing and Dead
- Scores Missing in Fatal Ferry Sinking in India - NYTimes.com
Rescuers in eastern India searched for survivors on Tuesday after a ferry with more than 300 passengers capsized during a severe storm.
Oasis of the Seas, World's Largest Cruise Ship
Respect the Awesome Power of the Sea!
Vimeo--Reconstruction of Costa Concordia Grounding
- Reconstruction of the Costa Concordia, Narration by John Konrad, AIS Data by www.QPS.nl on Vimeo
John Konrad, CEO gCaptain.com and USCG Licensed Master Mariner Unlimited, narrates the reconstruction of the final maneuvers leading to the Costa Concordia tragedy. For the latest news on the Italian cruise ship grounding visit http://gCaptain.com/ta
2-2-12The Guardian--Papua New Guinea Ferry Disaster
- Papua New Guinea ferry sinks - video | World news | guardian.co.uk
Rescue crews are searching for more than 100 people missing after a ferry capsized off Papua New Guinea
2-2-12Reuters--Another Ferry Disaster, in Papua New Guinea
- Timeline: Major peacetime ship disasters since the Titanic| Reuters
(Reuters) - A ferry sank on Thursday off the coast of Papua New Guinea with scores of people missing, Australian rescue authorities said.Following is a timeline of some of the major peacetime shipping
1-26-12NYTimes--Captain of Doomed Cruise Ship Says He was Repeatedly Ordered to Alter Course Toward Giglio Island Off Picturesque Tuscan Coast
- Costa Concordia Captain Says He Was Ordered to Changed Course - NYTimes.com
Capt. Francesco Schettino told an official from the cruise line that company managers instructed him to change direction, according to leaked telephone transcripts. Costa Cruises is a subsidiary of Carnival Cruises, the world's largest cruise company
1-18-12NYTimes--Costa Captain Says He Tripped and Fell into a Lifeboat
- Captain of Stricken Vessel Says He Fell Overboard in Passenger Panic - NYTimes.com
A farcical new twist emerged from the horrific accounts of the wreck, with the captain saying he tripped during the passenger panic on deck, fell overboard and ended up in a life boat. 21 still missing. 11 confirmed dead.
1-17-2BBCNews--Young Woman Describes Her Rescue From Capsized Costa Concordia
- BBC News - Costa Concordia passenger Amelia Leon 'lucky to be alive'
A young woman from Birmingham says she feels lucky to be alive after arriving home safely from the capsized cruise ship in Italy.
1-15-12DailyBeast--Amazing Rescues from Costa Concordia
- Cruise Ship Sinking: Couple Rescued From Costa Concordia - The Daily Beast
Barbie Latza Nadeau reports from the scene on one couple’s unlikely rescue—and why the captain may end up in jail.
1-14-12NYTimes--Search on For Survivors of Costa Concordia
- Ship Passengers Tell of Delayed, Then Panicked, Evacuation - NYTimes.com
The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground off the Tuscan coast late Friday, leaving at least three dead and dozens more unaccounted for.
1-14-11Guardian--Captain Arrested in Mediterranean Cruise Ship Sinking
- Captain arrested amid growing anger after Italian cruise ship runs aground | World news | The Observ
Francesco Schettino investigated for manslaughter and abandoning ship after three die and 69 go missing
Princess of the Stars
9-17-11TheIndependent--Captain and Three Others Charged in Zanzibar Ferry Disaster
- Four charged over Zanzibar ferry disaster - Africa, World - The Independent
Four people have been charged with causing the deaths of more than 200 people when a crowded ferry sank last week in Zanzibar, local media reported today.
9-11-11
- Nearly 200 bodies recovered after ferry sinks in Tanzania - DailyFreeman.com
Passengers on the aging, crowded boat headed for one of Tanzania's top tourist destinations said they realized something was wrong when the ferry began to list from side to side. Then water rushed through and killed the engines, capsizing the ferry.
9-9-11 Overloaded Zanzibar Ferry Sinks with 800 Aboard
A Zanzibar ferry dangerously overloaded with passengers and cargo sank on September 8. The ferry was reportedly listing already when it left Dar es Salaam with tourists and families returning from holidays. At least 200 passengers were lost in the tragedy. 600 were saved, indicating that the ferry was overloaded when it left Zanzibar foundered and sank in deep water.
9-9-11 Hundreds Dead in Zanzibar Ferry Sinking
- Zanzibar Ferry Disaster: Almost 200 Feared Dead After Ferry Sinks Off Coast Of Tanzania | Home | Sky
At least 192 people have reportedly been killed after a ferry carrying 600 passengers sank off the Tanzanian coast.
9-10-11BBC Report--
- BBC News - Zanzibar mourns ferry disaster victims
The Tanzanian region of Zanzibar begins three days of mourning for the victims of a ferry sinking that killed nearly 200 people.
7-13-11NYTimes "Russian Tubs Sail Waters Despite History of Failure
- Russian Tubs Sail Waters Despite History of Failure - NYTimes.com
Prosecutors opened a broad investigation into the river transport industry after a tour boat sank and as many as 128 people drowned, including dozens of children trapped in a play room.
7-12-11NYTimes--Many Children Died in Sinking of Russian River Boat
- Scores of Children Among 128 Dead in Russian Sinking - NYTimes.com
Shortly before a riverboat on the Volga lurched to one side and then slowly capsized, an estimated 40 children had been moved into an interior play area.
7-10-11NYTimes--Volga River Boat Sinks--100 Passengers Missing
- Nearly 100 Missing after Russian Riverboat Sinks - NYTimes.com
A boat filled with families on the Volga River sank, and about 100 people were missing hours later. [The boat was a river tour boat not a ferry. However, this type boat has some of the same hazards as a ferry.]
9-11-09 High Toll Feared After Sierra Leone Ferry Sinks
- Another Ferry Disaster--Sierra Leone Ferry Sinks in Storm
DAKAR, Senegal — Scores of children and their parents on their way to start the new school year were feared drowned after a packed ferry sank off the coast of Sierra Leone. The boat went down in a storm on Tuesday night southeast of Freetown.
1-12-09 NYTimes 250 Feared Lost in Ferry Capsize in Indonesia
- 250 Feared Dead in Indonesia Ferry Disaster - NYTimes.com
Rescuers were losing hope of finding about 250 people still lost at sea on Monday after a passenger ferry capsized a day earlier.
Philippine Ferry Disaster Video September
1-30-03 Princess Victoria Ferry Sinks, claiming 130 lives
- BBC NEWS | N Ireland | Ferry disaster victims remembered
31 January is the 50th anniversary of the worst civil disaster in UK peacetime history, when 133 people died after the ferry Princess Victoria sank off the County Down coast.
4-2-06 Egyptian Ferry Sinks in Red Sea 1,000 lost
1896, Cairo, Illinois Ferry Capsizes and Sinks
- Cairo, IL Ferry Boat Capsizes, May 1896 | GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, F
FERRY BOAT CAPSIZES. ELEVEN LIVES LOST OFF CAIRO, ILL., THIS MORNING. read more »
9-6-07 Philippine Ferry Disaster
- Hundreds Saved From Philippine Ferry Sinking - NYTimes.com
More than 900 people were rescued when a ferry with 1,000 on board sank in the Philippines early Sunday. At least nine died and 33 were missing.
1987 Zeebrugge Ferry Disaster in North Sea
- Blinkx Video: Seconds From Disaster : Capsized in the North Sea
Ferry sinks because crew forgot to close bow car loading doors. (Use Search engine to find video of Zerbrugge Ferry Disaster.)
Zeebrugge Ferry Capsize Disaster
Staten Island Ferry Collision
Riverdance ferry disaster at Cleveleys, Blackpool, UK
21 Worst Ferry Disasters 1986-2009
- Worst Ferry Disasters 1986-2009
This link tells the stories of the worst ferry disasters 1986-2009.
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Well, the water us usually pretty smooth on Puget Sound so you probably don't have much reason to be concerned. I suppose fog may be an issue there. Personally, I would never get on a car ferry in bad weather. And when I ride ferries I make sure I know where the life jackets and life boats are located. I've taken the ferries from Seattle to Port Townsend and Bainbridge when my son was living in Seattle. The weather was finel on both trips. Beautiful scenery, The deeper the snow gets around here the more I wish I was in Seattle or California. Zero weather is forecast for tomorrow.
Like the old song, Ralph, "I love to ride the ferry." I grew up in Yonkers and often took the ferry across the Hudson River to Alpine, New Jersey. It's very sad to see these ferry disasters. I usually think of them occurring in the middle and far east, but right here in New York -- ughh! Maybe more and better safety rules would help.
As I recall there was a disaster of a tour boat on Lake George a few years ago. I remember because several of the people who lost their lives were Michaganders. But big car ferries in the open ocean or the fog are the most dangerous. They are top heavy and sink like rocks when they capsize.
Pretty darn devastating.
Another ferry sinks, this time in Sierra Leone. Beware of car ferries, especially those operating in open water.
If you look at the Satelite view of Google Maps (3/9/2010), there appears to be a sunken ferry just off the Ferry pier at Port Townsend WA. What boat is this? And what happened here?
What do you think of the old Norwegian sea ferry that has been turned into a (substandard) "cruiseship">> Bahamas Celebration?
They do 2 night cruises to the Bahamas...I hear they "exit" the ship through the "car garage".
I'm not familiar with Bahamas Celebration, but will keep an eye out for it. As you can tell I'm not a fan of car ferries, especially in open water.
Thanks for your comment.
MOSCOW — A riverboat filled with families cruising on the Volga River sank on Sunday, and about 100 people were missing hours later, feeding fears that the episode could be the country’s worst such accident in recent history.
Many Children Died in Russian River Boat Sinking
Shortly before a riverboat on the Volga lurched to one side and then slowly capsized, an estimated 40 children had been moved into an interior play area.
The boat was in disrepair and listing before it left the dock.
Zanzibar Ferry Sinks
A Zanzibar ferry dangerously overloaded with passengers and cargo sank on September 8. The ferry was reportedly listing already when it left Dar es Salaam with tourists and families returning from holidays. An estimated 200 passengers were lost in the tragedy.
Captain arrested amid growing anger after Italian cruise ship runs aground. Francesco Schettino investigated for manslaughter and abandoning ship after three die and 69 go missing.
Costa Concordia Disaster
"Ship Capt. Francesco Schettino and First Capt. Ciro Ambrosio are in police custody, facing charges for manslaughter and abandoning ship. The duo was among the first to take a lifeboat to safety, effectively leaving the passengers and crew to fend for themselves in what has been described as a very chaotic evacuation. “No one was in charge,” said Nareem Fauled, a South African passenger. “We had such conflicting information and no one knew what we were supposed to do.”
Costa Concordia disaster: 6 confirmed dead; 16 missing.
Captain of Stricken Vessel Says He Fell Overboard in Passenger Panic - NYTimes.com
A farcical new twist emerged from the horrific accounts of the wreck, with the captain saying he tripped during the passenger panic on deck, fell overboard and ended up in a life boat. 21 still missing. 11 confirmed dead.
1-26-12NYTimes--Captain of Doomed Cruise Ship Says He was Repeatedly Ordered to Alter Course Toward Giglio Island Off Picturesque Tuscan Coast
Costa Concordia Captain Says He Was Ordered to Changed Course - NYTimes.com
Capt. Francesco Schettino told an official from the cruise line that company managers instructed him to change direction, according to leaked telephone transcripts. Costa Cruises is a subsidiary of Carnival Cruises, the world's largest cruise company
When I was a boy 1950's living in Port Townsend, I met a spinster who's brother was a sea captain. She told me of a passenger ferry that struck a rock off Port Townsend one stormy nite, the next morning all they found was a dog on the beach. The boat was never found...does any body know the rest of the story????
Bob, I'll see what I can find about the Port Townsend ferry disaster. Thanks for the comment. I've read enough about ferries that I wouldn't get on one without making sure the weather was fair. And I'd find out where they keep the life jackets.
Another ferry disaster.
Rescue crews are searching for more than 100 people missing after a ferry capsized off Papua New Guinea
5-8-12Telegraph--India Ferry Sinks with 250 On Board
India ferry sinks with 250 on board - Telegraph
"The steamer was traveling with 250 people on board when it capsized midstream in the Brahmaputra following a storm," P.C. Haloi, police chief of Dhubri,told AFP by telephone. Witnesses saw victims being swept away by the swift river current.
G-Ma Johnson Level 4 Commenter 3 years ago
OMG I ride a ferry across the Straits to Seattle all the time...a car ferry and the weather can be bad sometimes...now I am scared...but it seems the help comes quickly..but not always quickly enough...and some of the footage is incredable..wow how they can film in such a terrible time in their life's...the instinct to live is also a wonder...I guess there is nothing else you can do...and such brave divers..people are so wonderful...but now onto something a bit more relaxing...well done though...G-Ma :o) Hugs & Peace