[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

Surprised nobodies started a thread on this.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40314128



7 sailors still missing.

Whats goofy is the track of the merchant vessel. 20 minutes before the collision it pulls a U turn, hits the Fitz, and then heads back the way it was going? "Ooops sorry, I was texting and boating!".

I'm not assigning blame here, that's just... weird. I mean, a missile destroyer with those huge expensive radar systems probably should have seen it coming.

It was the mids so its possible there was an inexperienced Navy JO on watch coupled with the civilian ship usually being highly automated, its bridge watch minimally manned. Id wager human error, more specifically the reliance on todays technological wizardry by both parties is going to be the main contributing factor in this collision. Container ships of that size just dont make sudden u-turns and come at ya. It takes a lot of time to bring those beasties about. But if you rely on a radar plot you may not see those changes in bearing and range to target develope into a risk of collision until its too late. Then there is the dilemma every JO faces that can burn precious minutes away, do I call the captain? I doubt the civilian ship even knew the Navy boat was even there. Oh Im sure his RADAR's collision alarm was blaring away (if it was properly tuned) but those guys dont look out the window much until it does.

The best and most reliable navigation system on any ship is the seamans eye. It could have recognized the warning signs much earlier than any radar.