Only entertainment staff, singers and waiters helped us later. But the weather was so bad that the helicopter crew advised against boarding". He is being held in house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges. And on the boat what could he do in addition., The circumstances were tragic and my responsibility was more than great. Captain of White Star Liner, RMS Titanic, Commander Edward J. Smith, c. 1911. Allen dismissed that idea, saying the captain's knowledge of his ship is crucial in an emergency. But the report noted that some passengers testified that they didnt hear the alarm to proceed to the lifeboats. Although only three divers made it to the wreck, it was the role of each team member that made it possible. The team retired for the night, hoping that conditions would improve. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. The ships engineer reported to Captain Yiannis Avranias that water was entering the hull and flooding the generator room. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWGXa8QivR4. STOCKHOLM - Seafaring tradition holds that the captain should be last to leave a sinking ship. Chopper pilot, Ian Osborne, lifted his Alouette helicopter into the air en route to the wreck site. It is believed[by whom?] When they bail early, everything falls apart. The reaction of the first engineer sabotaged the captains original plan. Evacuation was made even more chaotic by the ship listing so far to starboard, making walking inside very difficult and lowering the lifeboats on one side, near to impossible. The Agulhas shifts an estimated volume of 70 x 106m3/s down the East Coast of South Africa, making it the most powerful current on the globe. Family members of passengers on a South Korean ferry that sank look at lists of survivors on Wednesday. Once complete, the team focused on preparing for the dives. 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. Christos Nikolaou did not know what was said about him and his colleagues at the time. He was never incarcerated and Epirotiki gave him command of a ferry until his retirement. MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when it suffered uncontrolled flooding.MTS Oceanos. "[10], Captain Avranas received extensive media coverage as an example of unprofessional behaviour whilst in command. Royer, however, died after suffering a head injury when he finally left the ship. He hit the bottom, got back up, side of the fault and was swallowed by the sea forever.. [7][failed verification] The South African Navy, along with the South African Air Force, launched a mission to airlift the passengers and crew to the nearby settlements of The Haven and Hole in the Wall, about .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}10km (5+12nmi) south of Coffee Bay. No one knows exactly where Captain E.J. Industries; War and Militaries; Captain Yiannis Avranas (born c. 1940) had been an officer for twenty years and a seaman for thirty. South Korean authorities have arrested Capt. 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. A wide range of diverse considerations had to be taken care of, both personally and as a team. Francesco Schettino, were charged with various crimes. Blowing in the same direction as the current, a strong northeasterly wind would slowly increase the rate of flow beyond that conducive for diving. [20][21], Dateline NBC aired a documentary of the incident on 23 May 2010. Authorities isolated officers and sailors at a hotel. One of the divers, Karl van der Merwe, commented, The current was so strong that it would rip your mask off your face and your regulator out of your mouth. We were crazy to do that dive.. 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. Captain Yiannis Avranas who left passengers to die? According to the International Herald Tribune, "Avranas said he had known when he left the ship that there were 170 passengers and crew still aboard [but this was] the only way [to] ensure the safety of all those aboard", furthermore "after checking the situation from the shore, he said, he flew back to the ship on a helicopter, intending to go back on board. The Greatest Maritime Rescue Ever? The MV Oceanos Rescue - Bowmans The Costa Concordia, carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew, slammed into a reef on Friday, after Schettino made an unauthorized maneuver. The notorious Master of the vessel was Captain Yiannis Avranas. EAST LONDON, South Africa . He wanted to see where they were taking the crew to land. The Oceanos arrived in South Africa in 1991. Often, as in the case of Schettino, charges are brought based not on dereliction of maritime duty but for offenses that might pertain on land as well, such as negligence and manslaughter. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Known for. Several witnesses claimed to have seen him in the water. The divers descended the anchor line and were able to return to it some twenty minutes later, after making their way around most of this 152 m wreck. [citation needed], While trying to make up lost time, Oceanos encountered rough seas. By Then, about two years ago, South African technical divers Barry Coleman and Brett Hawton decided it was time to revisit the Oceanos. History Post: The Journey of MTS Oceanos, the Day the Cruise Ship Went The unfitted ventilation pipe was said to have left a 10cm hole in the watertight bulkhead between the generator and the sewerage tank. The most famous, perhaps, is the captain of the Titanic, E.J. "He's given the industry a bad name, he's made us all look bad. All 571 people on board were saved, following one of the worlds most dramatic and successful rescue operations of its kind. At sea he had no kindness. 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. Although Barry, Paul, and Brett would dive to the Oceanos as a team, they were all on different equipment. The Italian captain went back onboard the wreck for the first time since the sinking of the cruise ship on January 13, 2012, as part of his trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship. Costa Concordia disaster | Collision, Rescue, Salvage, & Facts What happened to the captain and crew of the Oceanos? After the required decompression runtimes, the divers surfaced, and the team returned to shore. Other information if you google or youtube it. "When I order abandon ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave," Avranas said. Smith was back in the news in 1940, when a letter in Life magazine suggested that the captain had ended his days as an elderly derelict in Lima, Ohio, known as Silent Smith. Among the evidence: The man had arrived in town three years after the Titanic disaster, would only give his name as Smith, was about Smiths age and size, and bore the sort of tattoos common among seafarers. He had also left the radio operator on board, and they were talking. In addition, Pryals doctor attested that he was absolutely sane and not given to hallucinations., In fact, Pryal said he had seen Smith twice, once on a Wednesday and again the following Saturday, when he returned to the same spot to look for him. Passengers remained ignorant of the events taking place until they witnessed the first signs of flooding in the lower decks. What is glucosamine and fish oil good for? The ship was built in France and owned by a Greek cruise ship company. The Victorian notion that a captain should actually go down with the ship has become archaic. 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. Yonhap/EPA/Landov The captain of the Oceanos was alerted to the problem after receiving reports of water entering some of the cabins on board. The ship's captain, Yiannis Avranas, had 30 years' experience at sea. Soon after the collision, he and other officers saw what they believed to be the lights of a nearby ship. Five divers, including the late Rehan Bouwer, made four attempts to reach the Oceanos, but only succeeded twice, and then only for a matter of minutes. What happened to the captain of the Costa Concordia? Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), 5 Maritime Disasters You Might Not Know About, Titanic By the Numbers: From Construction to Disaster to Discovery, Why Nobody Remembers America's Worst Maritime Disaster, https://www.history.com/news/costa-concordia-cruise-ship-disaster-sinking-captain, The Costa Concordia Disaster: How Human Error Made It Worse. The team rushed to kit up and made their way to the launch site, eager to climb through the open window of opportunity while it lasted. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. [16] A South African Navy Diver testified that the captain had insisted on being taken ashore by the first helicopter. August 3, 1991: An explosion shakes the engine room of the Greek cruise ship, Oceanos, as it sails off the South African coast. In addition to Schettino, Ferrarini and Rusli Bin, the other people who received convictions for their role in the disaster were Cabin Service Director Manrico Giampedroni, First Officer Ciro Ambrosio and Third Officer Silvia Coronica. The sewage and water systems had their one way "check valves" removed and not replaced. WATCH: Full episodes of When Big Things Go Wrong online now. However, rough seas caused the party to be held inside in the Four Seasons lounge;[5] most passengers chose to stay in their cabins. [3] Entertainment manager Robin Boltman was credited with gathering the passengers in the lounge and playing music to calm them. At sea, there's no question about who's in charge, so there's no doubt who is responsible for safety. The generators had been shorted, and the supply of power to the engines had been severed. He and fellow entertainer Julian Butler[8] directed the efforts of the entertainment staff - including Robin Boltman - to assist them. South Korean authorities have arrested Capt. Meanwhile, he told the ships two wireless operators to get ready to transmit distress signals. Concern showed on everyones faces, but although an immense amount of planning, effort, and money is poured into conducting a deep-diving expedition, the safety of those involved is always the priority. The decision was to be his last as captain of the Oceanos. Technicians pass in a small boat near the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia lying aground in front of the Isola del Giglio on January 26, 2012 after hitting underwater rocks on January 13.  Former captain of the Costa Concordia Francesco Schettino speaks with reporters after being aboard the ship with the team of experts inspecting the wreck on February 27, 2014 in Isola del Giglio, Italy. Captain Davina Avranas English wife aboard the ship with their daughter Faye. As soon as we reached seven degrees, we decided to lower the boats and start evacuation. At 12:05 a.m. Smith gave orders to uncover the lifeboats and alert the passengers. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. The MV Oceanos was a 153 meter passenger ship, built in 1952 and designed to carry 550 passengers and 250 crew. I never saw the captain among us helping, he says.. I would avoid any cruise that involves a Greek ship! The waves reached 14 meters. Being one of the worlds most difficult wrecks to reach and successfully dive, the Oceanos offers great rewards for technical divers at the top of their game. No one knows exactly where Captain E.J. That is unbelievable!! "Heres why and how the Oceanos sank off the Wild Coast", Sunday Tribune, 26 Feb, 2017, A Captain's Tale: 'The Rescue Was Perfect - Everybody Is Safe', OCEANOS CAPTAIN INSISTED ON EARLY RESCUE, DIVER SAYS, South Africa probes cause of luxury liner's sinking, Cruise captain sparks outrage among mariners, "Costa Concordia Tragedy: Capt. MTS Oceanos - Wikipedia Moving round to the port side propeller, over the hull, and back to the deck amidships, they headed off on their scooters to the bridge and bow sections to make a survey of possible penetration points for the second dive. Follow her on Twitter at @MsBeckyLittle. 2012 The Associated Press. It is this forward section of the wreck that incurred the wrath of the ocean floor as the bow slammed into the seabed. [7][failed verification] The NPR radio show and podcast Snap Judgment featured an account of the sinking by Moss Hills. Epirotiki Line. "In this case there was more than enough time for the moment of panic to pass. That was one of several incidents that have led some historians to question whether Smith had gone into a state of shock. Under charter by TFC Tours,[1] Oceanos initially delayed by a bomb threat set out from East London, South Africa on 3 August 1991, and headed for Durban. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/news/titanic-captain-edward-smith-final-hours-death. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived, but Captain Yiannis Avranas and other officers left the ship while some passengers were still on board. He immediately ordered an evacuation of all passengers and crew. He had apparently confused the Titanics partially enclosed promenade deck with the totally open one of her sister ship, Olympic, which he had previously commanded. The wreck was not the fault of unexpected weather or ship malfunctionit was a disaster caused entirely by a series of human errors. MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when she suffered uncontrolled flooding. A very small loss of hull integrity caused a storage tank in the lower machine spaces to fill with sea water. The function of a rebreather is to re-circulate the unused oxygen in the exhaled breath whilst scrubbing it of all traces of carbon dioxide. Will this discovery change our understanding of Titanic's final moments? Moss and Tracy, who now live in Liverpool, continued working as cruise ship entertainers for many years. Some countries, like Italy, have included it in national laws. Fourth Officer Joseph G. Boxhall made a quick inspection of the ship and returned to the bridge to report that he had found no damage. It was now just after 12:30 a.m. After five days of staying at the hotel, the other Greek sailors with the assistance of the Greek consular authorities also escaped. There is some film on YOUTUBE showing the sinking of the Oceanos. Special Section: Italian Cruise DisasterCruise ship to port: It's just a blackoutPressure mounts on cruise ship divers. Physical and psychological training, descent strategies, bottom times, gas mixes, decompression profiles, equipment, and logistical planning; all these considerations had to be finalized before the team arrived on location at the Hole in the Wall hotel, where supportive technical diving and medical infrastructures do not exist. Outwardly, Smith seems to have kept up a brave front, appearing captain-like to the last, at least to most observers. 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. 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. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features. Schettino also didnt immediately alert the Italian Search and Rescue Authority about the accident. Francesco Schettino, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and of abandoning his crippled cruise ship off Tuscany while passengers were still on board. Even if he's not convicted, it is highly unlikely that he'll ever command a cruise or cargo ship again because of the damage to his reputation, said Prof. Craig Allen of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. The Oceanos thrust her stern into the air and slid nose first into the sea. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. [3] He was quoted soon after the sinking as saying, "When I order abandon the ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave. The ocean had reached the point where the sea was 81 meters deep. Abandonment is for everybody, if some people want to stay, they can stay.