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. Usually, there would have been a "sail-away" party on deck with the ship's musicians and British . Other information if you google or youtube it. "They were to stand at attention on the sinking ship until the women and children their wives and children were led off the boats.". And he did not lighten his position after the accident when he told a foreign television station: The ships abandonment applies to everyone. What happened to the captain of the Costa Concordia? Edward J. Smith - Titanic, Facts & Death - Biography About 2:00 p.m., the Oceanos begins its vertical descent. [7][failed verification] The NPR radio show and podcast Snap Judgment featured an account of the sinking by Moss Hills. I would know him even without his beard.. The objective was to show how the application of experience and established diving technique to a near-insurmountable challenge could safely lead to success. The ship was built in France and owned by a Greek cruise ship company. Two small ships in the vicinity were first on the scene, and provided the ship's coordinates to the South African authorities. Smith's body was never recovered, and his final moments remain a mysterywith no shortage of conflicting accounts. From Times Wire Services. [1] Avranas was quoted in the New York Times as saying, "When I give the order abandon ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave. Heres some good live video when it happened!!! In the middle of the 19th century, there were a number of incidents in which ships foundered and captains and their crews were either celebrated for leading the rescue or reviled for saving themselves while passengers drowned. How did the Oceanos go into the sea? On August 7, a news report emerged with the title: Battle for the critical hours . Should oxygen levels drop below those required by the diver, O2 can be computationally or manually injected into the system from an onboard cylinder to replenish the supply. The Oceanos lost power following a leak in the engine room's sea chest. Family members of passengers on a South Korean ferry that sank look at lists of survivors on Wednesday. In August 2005, a Titanic wreckage expedition found two large, extraordinarily well-preserved sections of the bottom of the ship's hull. I wanted to go down to the deck, where they were left lying on the floor, covered with blankets, passengers and crew members who sang to get courage. There is some film on YOUTUBE showing the sinking of the Oceanos. We were preparing to eat when the first mechanic warned us. [3][4] Oceanos headed into 40-knot winds and 9m (30ft) swells. Reports indicate that at around 21:30 off the Wild Coast of the Transkei, the Oceanus Cruise ship lost its power following an explosion in the engine room. Captain of MTS Oceanos. The Costa Concordia Disaster: How Human Error Made It Worse - History But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Christos Nikolaou did not know what was said about him and his colleagues at the time. Fleeing in a lifeboat, they were told by the captain of a rescue ship to go back and help their passengers. Francesco Schettino, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and of abandoning his crippled cruise ship off Tuscany while passengers were still on board. "The captain called the men to attention," says William Fowler, a maritime historian at Northeastern University. Rear Adm. Richard Gurnon, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy called Schettino's actions "abhorrent" and a violation of an unwritten code. It has been reported that the ship was in a state of neglected maintenance with loose hull plates and an unfitted ventilation pipe. Abandon is for everybody. Diving The Oceanos - DeeperBlue.com The ship's captain, Yiannis Avranas, had 30 years' experience at sea. After the required decompression runtimes, the divers surfaced, and the team returned to shore. It was abject cowardice.". Jean Laborde went through many different owners and name changes (Jean Laborde, Mykinai, Ancona, Eastern Princess) in the succeeding decades. 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. The impact damaged the ship, allowing water to seep in and putting the 4,229 people on board in danger. I have made a mess and practically the whole ship is flooding, Schettino told Ferrarini while the ship was sinking. ", "Costa Concordia Tragedy: Capt. The unethical, unprofessional prick are working as a Captain of a ferry in Greece. Diesel, emanating from the wreck for nearly 12 years, was visible around the marker buoy an indication that the entire water column lay still. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Her captain, Yiannis Avranas, and some of the crew were convicted of negligence for fleeing the ship without helping the passengers, who were subsequently rescued thanks to the efforts of the ship's entertainers, who made a mayday transmission, launched lifeboats, and helped South African Marines land on the ship from naval helicopters. And on the boat what could he do in addition., The circumstances were tragic and my responsibility was more than great. An In Memoriam vintage postcard featuring the Titanic which sank after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on April 14, 1912 and commemorating her captain, Edward Smith and brave bandsmen, published in Redruth, c. May 1912. Oceanos was very poorly maintained while simultaneously operating in one of the most dangerous and rough areas of the oceans. For many years, seasoned technical diver, Barry Coleman, has had one consuming desire: to dive the Oceanos. The Costa Concordia was owned by Costa Crociere, a subsidiary of Carnival . At sea, there's no question about who's in charge, so there's no doubt who is responsible for safety. None of the 571 passengers drowned. In between, however, the first engineer was terrified. Michael O Mahoney, a passenger remembers at least 30 crew members got on the first boat, while the captain left on a helicopter while passengers were still on deck. [5] The generators were shut down because the rising water would have short circuited them. Several witnesses claimed to have seen him in the water. ISSN 1469-865X | Copyright 1996 - 2022 deeperblue.net limited. "There must be a point at which I would think that now it is time to jump into the water so I don't die," he said. Creating equal decompression profiles for the two systems was a difficult task for Barry that took many hours of calculation. It was an event that ended with the sinking of a family cruise shi. Most crew members left first with lifeboats . All Rights Reserved. MACHINE LEARNING INVESTING IS SPECULATIVE BY NATURE. He wanted to see where they were taking the crew to land. Italy's highest court has upheld the 16-year jail sentence given to the captain of the Costa Concordia, which capsized in 2012 killing 32 people. The South African Navy and Air Force launched a massive seven-hour mission in which 16 helicopters were used to airlift the remainder of the passengers and crew to the nearby settlements of The Haven and Hole in the Wall, about 10km south of Coffee Bay. They began launching the remaining lifeboats, with up to 90 people in each, but were unable to start their engines. : "Go back on board!". Powered by Invision Community. But witnesses said he appeared on the bridge of the Titanic just moments later, asking what the storied ship, making its maiden voyage across the Atlantic, had struck. He speaks five foreign languages, originally from Kasos, but was born in Egypt. Smith was at 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 1912. Yiannis Avranas not only abandoned the Greek cruise ship Oceanos after it suffered an explosion off the coast of South Africa but cut ahead of an elderly passenger to be hoisted aloft by a helicopter. Epirotiki Lines had lost two other ships within the three years preceding the sinking: the company's flagship Pegasus only two months before, and MV Jupiter, three years before. How does the braking system work in a car? And he did not lighten his position after the accident when he told a foreign television station: The ship's abandonment applies to . In more than 40 years at sea he had rarely been involved in an accident and never held accountable for one. Hills was interviewed in the special, and related that some years later he had been on board when the MS Achille Lauro of Star Lauro sank. But his or her responsibility extends to executing the evacuation plan that all passenger ships are required to have and practice. In 1965, the captain and several other crew members were among the first to abandon ship after the Yarmouth Castle caught fire and started sinking off the Bahamas, killing 90. http://www.aolvideoblog.com/2007/08/21/crew-bails-on-passengers-of-sinking-cruise-liner/. Something strong wind, something the helicopter pilot, they didnt let me down he said. On 3 August 1991, the Oceanos - initially delayed due to a bomb threat - set out from East London, South Africa and headed for Durban.Captain Yiannis Avranas (born ca. Captain Yiannis Avranas told reporters in Durban that he did not desert the ship but left to coordinate rescue efforts from shore. The current on the surface was running reverse, and there was no sign of the dreaded Northeaster. [2] Photographs taken in 2002 show that the bridge section has collapsed. [25], "Oceanos" redirects here. An iceberg, sir, First Officer William Murdoch replied. 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 . The sewage and water systems had their one way "check valves" removed and not replaced. The incident came two years after Francesco Schettino, the captain of the wrecked cruise ship Costa Concordia, was charged with manslaughter and abandoning ship charges he denies. Captains Uncourageous: Abandoning Ship Long Seen As A Crime What happened to the cruise ship Oceanos? Very well, Pryal, the man supposedly answered, but please dont detain me. 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. 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. This page is not available in other languages. At sea he had no kindness. [20][21], Dateline NBC aired a documentary of the incident on 23 May 2010. For the mythological figure, see, "Owner of Lost Greek Cruise Ship Has History of Maritime Mishaps", "A Captain's Tale: 'The Rescue Was Perfect Everybody Is Safe', "Oceanos Captain Insisted On Early Rescue, Diver Says", "The guitarist who saved hundreds of people on a sinking cruise liner", "Hero plays music to calm terrified passengers", "South Africa probes cause of luxury liner's sinking", "The inimitable Alvon Collison, the wind beneath our wings", "Must a captain be the last one off a sinking ship? Costa Concordia disaster | Collision, Rescue, Salvage, & Facts He made the wrong choice. The image of a captain staying with a sinking vessel has recurred again and again, in literature and real life. 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. The last charge carries a potential sentence of 12 years in prison. Does anyone know of the current whereabouts of former Captain Yiannis Avranas of the doomed Oceanos? Before the sailing they were given for inspection. Through the confusion,the captain somehow made it into a lifeboat before everyone else had made it off. There were also 12 inflatable rescue media on the cruise ship. Arriving at the dive site, the team was amazed by the conditions. In 1991, Yiannis Avranas, the captain of a Greek cruise liner, was also strongly criticised after leaving the ship as it started to sink off the South African coast. "Shoreside rescue people can do all the shoreside coordination efforts needed," he said. Unable to spend sufficient time on the wreck, the Camera 7 team was forced to deploy a remote, surface-controlled camera to acquire the footage required for their investigation. [citation needed], While trying to make up lost time, Oceanos encountered rough seas. But with no sign of conditions improving, the captain eventually decided to lift anchor and the Oceanos, with 581 guests and crew on board, sailed off into 40-knot winds and 9m-high (30ft) waves. There was no stopping the flooding and no hope for the Oceanos sinking. By the next morning rescuers found Oceanos adrift just off Coffee Bay, on the Wild Coast. [citation needed]. The cruise ship had sailed with seven beauforts. He and fellow entertainer Julian Butler[8] directed the efforts of the entertainment staff - including Robin Boltman - to assist them. "It isn't just a maritime code, it's a code of leadership," Gurnon said. The ship underwent several name changes, including Mykinai, Ancona, Eastern Princess, and finally, in 1976, under the ownership of Pontos Nav SA, she was registered in Piraeus, Greece, under the name of SS Oceanos. 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. WATCH: Full episodes of When Big Things Go Wrong online now. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. Steve said, We had to hold onto the anchor line with all our strength. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Within eight minutes I closed the waterproof doors. In 2015, a court found Schettino guilty of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, abandoning ship before passengers and crew were evacuated and lying to authorities about the disaster. Epirotiki Line. [10][11] Among the entertainers onboard was the South African cabaret performer, Alvon Collison,[12][13] who later reported that he had begun singing an impromptu repertoire as the ship was sinking, in an effort to keep the passengers' spirits up. After the sinking, Avranas attracted extensive media coverage, often being vilified and used as an example of poor professional behaviour while in command. [5], Earlier repairs to the waste disposal system had not been completed, which meant that a vital ventilation pipe which ran through the watertight aft bulkhead and the non-return valves were not replaced. [5][23][24], The Oceanos wreck lies at a depth of between 92m (302ft) and 97m (318ft), about 5km (3.1mi) offshore. The dive was aborted for the day. All Rights Reserved. The captain goes down with the ship is a maritime tradition suggesting that a captain is honor-bound to stay on a sinking ship until all passengers and crew members have been safely evacuated. UK Retailer Simply Scuba Goes Into Administration For Good This Time, Dive Curaao Launches New All-In-One Vacation Platform. Steve Minne and Johan Swart confirmed the formidable force of the current. Back in the early 1990's came an incredible event, most now, don't remember or know about. (Reuter) | Aug 07, 1991 8:00PM EDT. At six in the morning the helicopters appeared. Nearby vessels responded to the ships SOS and were the first to assist. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The lights went out and the ship got an unusual inclination, but none of the crew advised us, he says in telephone communication from Ireland. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Best Known For: Captain Edward J. Smith played a role in one of the most famous disasters at sea in history, the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The unethical, unprofessional prick are working as a Captain of a ferry in Greece. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yiannis_Avranas&oldid=1133434367, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 19:56. I am the captain. [6] When the ship's worsening list to starboard made it unsafe to continue, Hills and several passengers went to the bridge to look for the crew, but found it unmanned. He had also left the radio operator on board, and they were talking. "[10], Captain Avranas received extensive media coverage as an example of unprofessional behaviour whilst in command. Video: One Guy Saved 600 Passengers When the Captain Abandoned Them On 3 August 1991, the Oceanos set out from East London, South Africa and headed to Durban. This window period, although based on unscientific information provided by maritime vessels in the area, falls in May and December. The technology means that the rebreather diver uses significantly less gas, has reduced nitrogen uptake, and subsequently fewer decompression requirements. The international and some Greek media condemned the attitude of Captain Yiannis Avranas. The current, too, was very strong, and the team was worried. He would attempt to sit there. While the ship could have stayed afloat with up to four flooded compartments, depending on their location, five tipped into catastrophic territory. A captain and his crew needlessly endangered the lives of those on board. Several of the ship's crew, notably Capt. (Schettino insisted the ship sailed close to shore to salute other mariners and give passengers a good view.) On Sunday, the day before the first dive attempt, the gusty southwesterly wind blew. There were 200 sailors on the ship as crew members. Has the old idea that captains should not abandon ship itself been abandoned? None of the 571 passengers drowned. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}320715S 290713E / 32.12083S 29.12028E / -32.12083; 29.12028 (Oceanos wreck). The one who abandoned ship along with his officers and crew and left the entertainers aboard to organize the rescue in August of 1991 off the African coast? 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. 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. [5][6] Thirteen of the sixteen were South African Air Force Pumas, nine of which hoisted 225 passengers off the deck. Originally built as a passenger/cargo vessel, the Oceanos underwent massive reconstruction by the time she came to operate as a cruise liner for Epirotiki Lines of Greece. Is there confession in the Armenian Church? THE GREATEST MARITIME RESCUE IN HISTORY OCEANOS - Africa Ports No alarm was raised. What happened to the captain and crew of the Oceanos? The Concordia was supposed to take passengers on a seven-day Italian cruise from Civitavecchia to Savona. 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. Since the year of her sinking, the Oceanos has remained in solitary confinement, guarded by the Agulhas current and the secluded landscape of the Transkei.