Bet your right, at the very least one hell of a career ending anxiety attack.
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Pics I've seen show damage to the right side of the destroyer and to the front left part of the bow on the freighter. Looks like the Fitzgerald got T-boned, with the freighter either hitting at a slight angle off 90 degrees or veering to the right at the last second.
Anxiously awaiting the details.
I just can't see how this could happen. Were both of them being jackasses and expecting the other ship to yield?
Can anyone with maritime experience fill us in on who has the right of way in this situation? Seems like the large ship would, but that's is just a guess.
COLREG excerpts:
> When two power-driven vessels are crossing, the vessel which has the other on the starboard side must give way and avoid crossing ahead of her.
> A power-driven vessel must give way to:
a vessel not under command;
a vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver (this may include vessels towing one another;[19]
a vessel engaged in fishing;
a sailing vessel.
When I was on active duty we gave freighters a wide berth, especially at night. Freighters traveling at night are often on auto-pilot in the sea lanes and are slow to respond regardless of whether they are the give way or stand on vessel. Freighters also require a great deal of room to maneuver.
It will be interesting what the investigation reveals and the resulting ruling by a maritime board of inquiry.
Before venturing a guess concerning who's at fault, it would be good to know, position and course of both vessels prior to closing on one another, weather conditions, if either vessel experienced equipment failure and if either or both vessels were maneuvering to avoid other maritime traffic.
It's a bit early to tell.