Cruise Talk: NCL mishap

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Topic: NCL mishap

David McIntosh
First Class Passenger
Member # 1737

posted 05-20-2001 08:13 AM

Just heard something on morning news about an NCL ship- the Norwegian Sky I think- involved in some sort of minor mishap off the coast of Washington state (near Seattle). Anyone else heard anything?

Posts: 124 | From: Columbia, SC, USA | Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 05-20-2001 08:42 AM

Was it perhaps the sewage discharge incident some days back?

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

Jekyll
First Class Passenger
Member # 1878

posted 05-20-2001 09:57 AM

Just saw on the news that the Sky was off Cape Flattery, Washington when she made a very sudden turn (they think to avoid a fishing boat) which resulted in a severe list to one side. According to the report, many passengers feared the ship would roll over. Apparently there were 3 injuries and some passengers refused to get back on the ship when she docked in Victoria. The ship arrived in Seattle this morning.

I am sure we'll here much more from our friends that were actually on that sailing!

Posts: 1524 | From: Nowhere | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

fondaenergy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1641

posted 05-20-2001 10:30 AM

If the ship made a sudden turn, it will definitely list. I was on Sensation when this occurred. One woman was certain the ship was going to sink.

Posts: 177 | From: Jacksonville, FL | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 05-20-2001 11:26 AM

"It Sounded Like the Titanic"-headline in Victoria's daily newspaper. 16 passengers were taken off by paramedics and transported to the local hospital, with "serious but none life threatening injuries". Passengers reported that video games toppled over, passengers were thrown to railings, plants and musical instruments toppled over. Swimming pools lost their water. Those by the railings thought they were going over. Dishes went flying. All of that is from passenger interviews by reporters.
Rumours aboard indicated that there were rudder problems, or that she took evasive action around a sailboat. Norwegian Sky did heal over badly just seconds before her grounding in the St. Lawrence during her first season, causing more injuries than the actual grounding. The post construction addition (clipped on as they are commonly referred to) of the balconies and the hundreds of tons of metal involved,may have seriously altered the stability. If she is indeed heavier now topside, perhaps proper ballasting did not occur to compensate for the fuel consumption during the previous 6 days of her cruise. On her first visit into Victoria this year she seemed rather high out of the water. Or did Norwegian's officers once again fail to keep a proper lookout and were thus startled by the presence of a small vessel. This could be a repeat of the problems that casued their collision of Norwegain Dream in the Staits of Dover a few years back; one for which they took the brunt of blame.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

fondaenergy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1641

posted 05-20-2001 08:18 PM

This accident was on the CBS national news tonight. The Sky had to turn around and go back into port because some 15 people were injured. The captain had asked for ambulances at the pier. The report stated that there were broken bones and dishes flying around.

Posts: 177 | From: Jacksonville, FL | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 05-20-2001 08:45 PM

Update: NCL reported to local newsmedia in Seattle, that the problem was caused by a malfunction with the auto-pilot system. 77 passengers received injuries, 16 hospitalized ashore in Victoria, all but 2 now released. Significant damage was visible during the media tour of the interior.
Once the problem occured why was it not immediately corrected? On commercial aircraft once a control is touched the autopilot system shuts down, much the same way your automobile cruise control turns off once you touch the brake. Could a quartermaster or officer not have moved the helm from any of the 3 control positions (bridge extremities and centre consol) to deactivate the autopilot? I doubt some passengers estimate of the roll (life boats touched the ocean!!) but it obviously was severe.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

ocngypz
First Class Passenger
Member # 1555

posted 05-20-2001 10:08 PM

If you want to take a look at a first hand report from a passenger who was aboard the ship, go over to the newsgroup r.t.c. This gentleman and his wife were in the dining room when the event occurred. Their two young sons were elsewhere on the ship at the time.

Posts: 343 | From: Newport, RI USA | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

Ryndam
First Class Passenger
Member # 1315

posted 05-21-2001 07:33 AM

I can't see the accident caused only by a malfunction of the autopilot system. It's easier that a human error caused the problems to the autopilot. It's also strange that nobody corrects it, since there is always a period of time between the command to the rudder and the beginning of the turn. All the modern ships start listing if too much rudder is applied when sailing near the cruising speed; anyway there are no dangers at all, since during the sea trials one of the test is putting the rudder hard to one side while cruising at full speed. Some ships can list up to 25 degrees, far away from the capsizing angle. If a person is standing at a high deck on a ship, also a 5 degrees list seems enormous. The only danger during this accident might be the place where the ship was sailing; in a narrow place (like some of the Alaska passages) or in a high traffic zone, it might have caused a lot of damages.

Ryndam

Posts: 260 | From: Genoa (Italy) | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

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