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. He speaks five foreign languages, originally from Kasos, but was born in Egypt. Captain Yiannis Avranas who left passengers to die? As soon as we reached seven degrees, we decided to lower the boats and start evacuation. hide caption. Her bow hit the sand 92m below the surface, while more than 60m of her stern remained aloft; minutes later, she was gone. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! One week later, a 32-member team arrived on the scene as part of MNet Camera 7 news channels investigative documentary into the sinking of the Oceanos. Just before he boarded a train to Washington, Pryal reported, the man smiled at him and said, Be good, shipmate, until we meet again., There is no possibility I am mistaken. Pryal told a reporter. Is there confession in the Armenian Church? 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. The captain went up to the third of these. "[9] They were among the last to be rescued. A magician who had been performing on the ship took over the bridge, monitoring rescue calls, as a fellow entertainer kept passengers calm by playing Beatles songs on his guitar. "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. The helicopter was used to survey conditions around the wreck that lies at a distance of 9.5km from Hole in the Wall. [2] Divers have visited her, but strong currents make the dive difficult. [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. 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. 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. Here's why and how the Oceanos sank off the Wild Coast - PressReader dontpanik, July 2, 2007 in What Ever Happened To..??? What happened to the captain of the Costa Concordia? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWGXa8QivR4. Avranas at the time defended his actions, saying he left the ship to direct rescue operations. "[12][13], Captain Alevizos Klaudatos, head of Epirotiki Line, was quoted in The Star as saying: "Of course the crew members assigned to the boats have to enter first in order to assist the embarkation of the passengers", "as regards the captain abandoning the vessel, this is untrue and he has maintained his position throughout in assisting the rescue in the most effective way". Known for. But in interviews, Captain Avranas was unapologetic for leaving the ship ahead of others, saying he was better able to direct rescue efforts from shore. [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. 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. Pryal was no ordinary crank, but a highly regarded local businessman who claimed to have been an officer aboard the White Star liner Majestic some 30 years before, when Smith was its captain. What happened to the captain of the Oceanos ship? Must a captain be the last one off a sinking ship? 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. The weather forecast was predicting a strong northeasterly wind by morning, a factor that could easily mean the end of the expedition. Some early newspaper reports, allegedly supported by eyewitnesses, say he had shot himself with a pistol, though few historians give them any credence. "It is not just unseemly for a captain to leave a ship," Shealy says. We strive for accuracy and fairness. A wide range of diverse considerations had to be taken care of, both personally and as a team. What happened to the captain of the Oceanos? The 9 Worst Cruise Ship Disasters | Oyster.com The water steadily rose and flowed through the 10 cm hole in the bulkhead and into the waste disposal tank. The storm worsened as the evening progressed and when the first sitting of dinner was served, the waiters could hardly carry the trays of food without dropping something. Francesco Schettino, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and of abandoning his crippled cruise ship off Tuscany while passengers were still on board. "I'm totally embarrassed by what he did," he said of Schettino. At roughly midnight, Andrews reportedly told Smith the Titanic could last another 60 to 90 minutes. She came to rest on her starboard side almost perpendicular to the coastline, with her bow facing seaward. In another instance, Smith ordered that a lifeboat be lowered from the boat deck to the promenade deck, so passengers could climb in more easily. Midday, the sea spills over the bow of Oceanos. He was never incarcerated and Epirotiki gave him command of a ferry until his retirement. All considered, said Canadian-American fellow team member and cave diving world record holder Paul Heinerth, the Oceanos is probably one of the most, if not the most difficult wreck in the world to dive. The difficulties of diving on the Oceanos are extreme, but with commitment and proper planning, the dive is not impossible. He was 46 years old. If some people like to stay, they can stay. NAVY DIVER SAYS OCEANOS CAPTAIN DEMANDED TO BE ONE OF FIRST RESCUED. The ship started taking on water, rapidly flooding the engine room. And he did not lighten his position after the accident when he told a foreign television station: The ships abandonment applies to everyone. It remains so potent because of the almost mythic authority invested in ship captains, Allen suggests. To ask them to stare down death from the bridge, as the lights go out and the water rises, until everyone else has made it to safety? 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. In August 1991 I was a junior partner in the maritime . Various factors affect the flow rate of the current including pressure systems, the position of flow, coastal-trapped waves, and wind. 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. This is an amazing story -- if they're doing a new story maybe something new has happened -- like maybe the captain will finally be . "I can't lift my face before the passengers and family members . . The technology means that the rebreather diver uses significantly less gas, has reduced nitrogen uptake, and subsequently fewer decompression requirements. Barry and Paul were on closed-circuit rebreathers, a Buddy Inspiration rebreather, and a CIS-Lunar MK5P rebreather, respectively. A South African navy diver said the captain of the sunken Greek liner Oceanos pushed past elderly pa. Passengers thought the captain had left the ship. [5], No alarm or announcement had been given that the ship was in trouble; with other entertainers working on the cruise, Moss Hills a musician from Zimbabwe and former member of Four Jacks and a Jill who had been performing with his wife Tracy in the lounge, explored below decks, discovered that Oceanos appeared to be sinking, and were informed by the cruise director, Lorraine Betts, that the captain had given the order to abandon ship and some crew had already left in a lifeboat. Share; Posted May 23, 2010. How did the Oceanos go into the sea? How does the braking system work in a car? After more than three hours in the water, they were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. Some countries, like Italy, have included it in national laws. [5] The final minutes of her sinking were captured on video and broadcast by ABC News. Through the confusion,the captain somehow made it into a lifeboat before everyone else had made it off. The ship ran aground off the Italian coast in 2012, killing 32 people. It was as if the Wild Coast had been tranquilized by a hunters dart. In 1994, his English wife Davina published a book about . [2], At the time of the accident, Yiannis Avranas had been an officer for twenty years and a seaman for thirty. Steve said, We had to hold onto the anchor line with all our strength. The reaction of the first engineer sabotaged the captains original plan. Does anyone know of the current whereabouts of former Captain Yiannis Avranas of the doomed Oceanos? (Schettino insisted the ship sailed close to shore to salute other mariners and give passengers a good view.) He hit the bottom, got back up, side of the fault and was swallowed by the sea forever.. 1940) [1] is a Greek former sea captain who commanded the cruise ship Oceanos when she sank off the Wild Coast of the Transkei, South Africa, on Sunday 4 August 1991. This page is not available in other languages. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He says he lowered the switches, stopped the power generators and the ships engines. Meanwhile, he told the ships two wireless operators to get ready to transmit distress signals. The Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian coast in 2012, killing 32 people. Powered by Invision Community. He didnt give up though. "The captain called the men to attention," says William Fowler, a maritime historian at Northeastern University. 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. Ship Captain. http://www.aolvideoblog.com/2007/08/21/crew-bails-on-passengers-of-sinking-cruise-liner/. Legal proceedings. 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. At about 9:30p.m., a muffled explosion was heard and Oceanos lost power. Davina Avrana. From mariners on ships plying the world's oceans, the answer is loud and clear: Aye. Something strong wind, something the helicopter pilot, they didnt let me down he said. Many scenarios have been done, my brother. At sea he had no kindness. The image of a captain staying with a sinking vessel has recurred again and again, in literature and real life. 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. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. What Happened to the Captain of the Cruise Ship Oceanos? "[16][19] In 1992, he and five other officers were convicted of negligence by a Greek board of inquiry for fleeing the ship without helping the passengers. Oceanos headed into 40-knot winds and 9 m (30 ft) swells. There were 200 sailors on the ship as crew members. 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. [5] The generators were shut down because the rising water would have short circuited them. The success of the 1988 cruise season in South Africa was the motivation for her return in 1991 on an eight-month charter for TFC Tours of Johannesburg. Greek Captain Criticized For Leaving Ship Early - New York Times He said he supervised the . By While the ship could have stayed afloat with up to four flooded compartments, depending on their location, five tipped into catastrophic territory. He in consultation with the international federation fled Nikolaou to Greece. While we were busy on one hand throwing the boats they went the other way and left, says Nikolaou. In 1976, she was acquired by Epirotiki Lines of Greece and registered under the name of Oceanos.[2]. Michigan Senator William Alden Smith, who chaired the Senate investigative committee, charged that Captain Smiths indifference to danger was one of the direct and contributing causes of this unnecessary tragedy., But the senator also gave him credit for his manly bearing and his tender solicitude for the safety of women and little children as well as his willingness to die.. After an hour of waiting, he said he saw Smith coming, approached him, and asked him how we was. [8] They were assisted by the lifeboats of the Dutch cargo ship Nedlloyd Mauritius, which had responded to the distress call. But whatever relief Smith might have felt at that moment was quickly shattered. The impact on the Scole Rocks occurred at about 9:45 p.m. local time, and the first person to contact rescue officials about the ship was someone on the shore, according to the investigative report. The wind was still blowing, and large swells were visible on the horizon. Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images Before the sailing they were given for inspection. "It comes from the tradition that the captain has ultimate responsibility and should put the care of others ahead of his own well-being in the discharge of his duties," says David Winkler, program director with the Naval Historical Foundation. Once complete, the team focused on preparing for the dives. [citation needed] An inflatable had to be launched to rescue some passengers who panicked and jumped into the water. It is this forward section of the wreck that incurred the wrath of the ocean floor as the bow slammed into the seabed. I am the captain. He immediately ordered an evacuation of all passengers and crew. Christos Nikolaou did not know what was said about him and his colleagues at the time. Smith was at 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 1912. At any time when you have an incident similar to Concordia, there is nevera single causal factor, says Brad Schoenwald, a senior marine inspector at the United States Coast Guard. In between, however, the first engineer was terrified. The ship underwent several name changes, including Mykinai, Ancona, Eastern Princess, and finally, in 1976, under the . With holes in its walls, loose hull plates, and missing parts that control the flow of water, it looked pretty neglected. 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. The impact damaged the ship, allowing water to seep in and putting the 4,229 people on board in danger. Brett and Paul penetrated the portside corridor behind the on-deck pool while Barry singularly explored the large dining hall area. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. A very small loss of hull integrity caused a storage tank in the lower machine spaces to fill with sea water. Abandon is for everybody. The Concordia was supposed to take passengers on a seven-day Italian cruise from Civitavecchia to Savona. The ship they spotted in the distance didnt answer, but several others did. Maritime officials who did not want to be quoted said it was . I wouldnt recommend this wreck to anyone but the best technical divers who really know what theyre doing.. The international and some Greek media condemned the attitude of Captain Yiannis Avranas. The Oceanos lies at a depth between 92m and 97m, about 5km offshore, on the western edge of the mighty Agulhas current. 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. 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. / AP. Lee Jun-Seok, who was one of the first to flee from the ferry as it sank on Wednesday. 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. Captains Uncourageous: Abandoning Ship Long Seen As A Crime On open-circuit scuba, the exhaled breath is not fed back into the system but is expelled and is no longer useable. . After the required decompression runtimes, the divers surfaced, and the team returned to shore. Ralph White/Corbis/Getty Images. Francesco Schettino, were charged with various crimes. It has been reported that the ship was in a state of neglected maintenance with loose hull plates and an unfitted ventilation pipe. [9] All 581 people on board were saved. 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. Most crew members left first with lifeboats . He is being held in house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges. The impact and water leakage caused an electrical blackout on the ship, and a recorded phone call with Costa Crocieres crisis coordinator, Roberto Ferrarini, shows he tried to downplay and cover up his actions by saying the blackout was what actually caused the accident. At six in the morning the helicopters appeared. The captain broadcasted a distress signal as he tried to steer the ship towards shore in order for rescuers to reach them. A 2:20 a.m., the last portion of the Titanic disappeared between the waves. Video footage shows their progress as pale rays of sunlight filtered through the corridor windows, throwing subtle illuminations across the dark interior. Epirotiki Line.
