BoatBanter.com

BoatBanter.com (https://www.boatbanter.com/)
-   ASA (https://www.boatbanter.com/asa/)
-   -   Captain or Coward? (https://www.boatbanter.com/asa/66281-captain-coward.html)

SUZY February 7th 06 09:27 PM

Captain or Coward?
 
You be the judge.

CAIRO (Reuters) - The captain of a ship who heard calls for help after
an Egyptian ferry sank in the Red Sea last week said he did not respond
because he feared his own passenger ship could sink if he turned back
in bad weather.

The Al Salam 98 ferry sank on Friday leaving more than 1,000 people
dead or missing. Officials have been investigating reports that the
Saint Catherine, a ferry owned by the same company, failed to respond
to calls for assistance.

"I took the decision not to return to protect 1,800 passengers who were
with me on the Saint Catherine for fear of capsizing the ferry while
turning," Captain Salah Gomaa told the state-owned daily al-Ahram in
remarks published on Tuesday.

He said bad weather, including high waves and fast winds, prompted him
not to respond to the call for assistance from Al Salam 98's second
officer, who informed him from a life boat that the ship had sunk.

"It is possible there could have been two disasters and the Saint
Catherine would also have been capsized," he said, adding that he sent
out a call for help to other ships in the area.

The 35-year-old Al Salam 98 was carrying 1,414 people, but only 388
people were rescued. Families of the victims criticized the government
for not responding more quickly to the sinking ship and blamed the
ferry company for operating an old vessel.

The government had said 244 bodies were recovered by Monday evening.
Cabinet spokesman Magdy Rady said a further 85 to 87 bodies were found
on Tuesday, indicating the total number of corpses found was now at
least 329 with almost 700 missing.

Both the Saint Catherine and the Al Salam 98 are owned by the Egyptian
company El Salam Maritime Transport Co.

On Tuesday, the Saudi authorities refused to allow passengers to board
another Egyptian ferry, Al Salam 94, as the vessel was deemed unsafe.
An Egyptian port official said the Al Salam 94 was owned by the same
shipping firm.

Company officials could not be reached for comment.


Capt.Mooron February 7th 06 09:35 PM

Captain or Coward?
 
Referring to these guys as qualified or even Captains...... is like
referring to Bobsprit as a sailor. Who cares how many died... the world is
over-populated.

CM

"SUZY" wrote in message
oups.com...
You be the judge.

CAIRO (Reuters) - The captain of a ship who heard calls for help after
an Egyptian ferry sank in the Red Sea last week said he did not respond
because he feared his own passenger ship could sink if he turned back
in bad weather.

The Al Salam 98 ferry sank on Friday leaving more than 1,000 people
dead or missing. Officials have been investigating reports that the
Saint Catherine, a ferry owned by the same company, failed to respond
to calls for assistance.

"I took the decision not to return to protect 1,800 passengers who were
with me on the Saint Catherine for fear of capsizing the ferry while
turning," Captain Salah Gomaa told the state-owned daily al-Ahram in
remarks published on Tuesday.

He said bad weather, including high waves and fast winds, prompted him
not to respond to the call for assistance from Al Salam 98's second
officer, who informed him from a life boat that the ship had sunk.

"It is possible there could have been two disasters and the Saint
Catherine would also have been capsized," he said, adding that he sent
out a call for help to other ships in the area.

The 35-year-old Al Salam 98 was carrying 1,414 people, but only 388
people were rescued. Families of the victims criticized the government
for not responding more quickly to the sinking ship and blamed the
ferry company for operating an old vessel.

The government had said 244 bodies were recovered by Monday evening.
Cabinet spokesman Magdy Rady said a further 85 to 87 bodies were found
on Tuesday, indicating the total number of corpses found was now at
least 329 with almost 700 missing.

Both the Saint Catherine and the Al Salam 98 are owned by the Egyptian
company El Salam Maritime Transport Co.

On Tuesday, the Saudi authorities refused to allow passengers to board
another Egyptian ferry, Al Salam 94, as the vessel was deemed unsafe.
An Egyptian port official said the Al Salam 94 was owned by the same
shipping firm.

Company officials could not be reached for comment.




[email protected] February 8th 06 12:21 AM

Captain or Coward?
 
Hmm, maybe he really did know how unsafe his ship was. Can you find
any other reason for not being an easy hero? Could be he made the
right difficult choice.


katy February 8th 06 12:30 AM

Captain or Coward?
 
wrote:
Hmm, maybe he really did know how unsafe his ship was. Can you find
any other reason for not being an easy hero? Could be he made the
right difficult choice.

I think he made the right choice.

Capt. Rob February 8th 06 01:30 AM

Captain or Coward?
 
Who cares how many died... the world is
over-populated.



Are there ANY myths that you don't believe?
Sheesh! You swallowed somebody's story that the Nordica is a quality
boat, so anything's possible.


RB
35s5
NY


Capt.Mooron February 8th 06 01:34 AM

Captain or Coward?
 

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
Are there ANY myths that you don't believe?
Sheesh! You swallowed somebody's story that the Nordica is a quality
boat, so anything's possible.



Bob is that really you???? Bwahahahahahahahaahaaaa

Any boat is a quality boat when compared to a shelf liner lined Javex
bottle, off the rack dock condo like the 35s5

CM



Capt. Rob February 8th 06 02:17 AM

Captain or Coward?
 
Well Buttercup,

I think the man was a coward.
Any brave captain with a floating vessel should render aid.

If it was I who Commanding the ferry 100's would have been saved.

Remember how brave I looked at the helm ?
Let me remind you !
Check out the way I grip the wheel with Iron man strength!
I could have saved them all!
http://members.aol.com/bobsprit/images/meme.jpg

That cluster**** of a loser has no right to call himself Captain.

Captain RB
35s5
NY


Capt. Rob February 8th 06 03:01 AM

Captain or Coward?
 
Of course it's me...Good lord.

Here in New York we have Clorox bottles not Javex bottles BTW.
Even your bleach bottle are inferior to mine. I bet they are shorter
too!

RB
35s5
NY


DSK February 8th 06 03:16 AM

Captain or Coward?
 
wrote:
Hmm, maybe he really did know how unsafe his ship was. Can you find
any other reason for not being an easy hero? Could be he made the
right difficult choice.


katy wrote:
I think he made the right choice.


Having sailed that area, I can attest that it can be pretty
darn rough. There's no way to tell from this distance how
much of the captain's refusal to turn back to render
assistance is cowardice, how much due to his knowledge that
his own ship was less than properly seaworthy, how much
fully justified by truly appalling & hazardous sea
conditions, and how much due to middle eastern
inscrutability. It's meaningless to
Monday-morning-quarterback such decisions IMHO.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:57 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 BoatBanter.com