The "facts" relayed on local news have not been totally reliable, but
are getting more consistent, as the Coast Guard has taken control of
the recovery and salvage.

The three missing crew are presumed dead. The water temperature is
around 34° F., and listening equipment attached to the hull has
detected no signs (sounds) of life. Divers continue to search the
river, and the interior of the hold, during daylight hours. State
police helicopters and boats from several agencies have also been
searching the river, hampered by ice flows.

It was reported that two heavy salvage barges from NYC were to arrive
today around 6:00 PM Eastern. A "Salvage Master" is enroute from
Sweden to oversee the righting and refloating of the ship once the
recovery effort is called off.

The weight and quantity of the cargo varies, depending upon which news
source is delivering it. The latest reports state that one 308 ton
turbine/generator is in the hold, another is still attached to the
shipboard crane (acting as a 308 ton anchor, at this point), and a
third is still on the pier at the port.

No official release has been made on the cause, but eyewitnesses
continue to report that the ship started to roll slowly as the second
turbine/generator was being lifted aboard, then quickly capsized away
from the pier, tossing up to eight crew into the river A consistent
report has been that the ship's crane operator ignored, or didn't see,
warning signals from the longshoremen working the loading.
Regards,
noah

To email me, remove the "OT-" from OT-wrecked.boats.noah.
....as you were. )

For a pic of the vessel (in the background)
see
http://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm

On 11 Dec 2003 01:17:44 GMT, ojunk (BUDATLITHO)
wrote:

For a pic of the vessel (in the background)
see
http://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm

===============================

THe Albany Times Union newspaper has a good sequence of photos he

http://www.timesunion.com/specialreports/stellamare/

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 03:23:41 GMT, Wayne.B
wrote:



THe Albany Times Union newspaper has a good sequence of photos he

http://www.timesunion.com/specialreports/stellamare/

Great link, Wayne.
Thanks,
Regards,
noah

Off-topic posting is a bit like farting in a house of worship.
Only children, the arrogant, or the ignorant, can truly enjoy it.
Only the arrogant and the ignorant insist on it.

To email me, remove the "OT-" from OT-wrecked.boats.noah.
....as you were. )

After reading many reports, do they say why the ship rolled? As I read
it......

The cranes are hooked to the load and ballast(water?) is pumped into the
offshore ballast tanks to offset the off-center weight being lifted from the
dock.

Then the load is lifted to the center of the boat. At this time the ship
began to roll away from the dock.

An interview with a loading specialist said that the ship should have
re-ballasted as the load was swung onboard. This could have been
accomplished by pumping out the offshore tanks and/or filling the inshore
tanks.

There was some mention of a crane failure?

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 17:35:39 GMT, "Floyd in Tampa"
wrote:

After reading many reports, do they say why the ship rolled? As I read
it......

The cranes are hooked to the load and ballast(water?) is pumped into the
offshore ballast tanks to offset the off-center weight being lifted from the
dock.

Then the load is lifted to the center of the boat. At this time the ship
began to roll away from the dock.

An interview with a loading specialist said that the ship should have
re-ballasted as the load was swung onboard. This could have been
accomplished by pumping out the offshore tanks and/or filling the inshore
tanks.

There was some mention of a crane failure?


So far, Floyd, there has been no official report or speculation on the
cause. The Coast Guard has initiated an investigation, but "it's
early yet".

I can think of at least 10 things that "could" have caused it but,
like everybody else at this point, I'd be guessing.

The Stellamare has been in the heavy-lift business for a number of
years, but there has been no mention of the experience level of this
particular crew (mostly Russian).
Regards,
noah

Off-topic posting is a bit like farting in a house of worship.
Only children, the arrogant, or the ignorant, can truly enjoy it.
Only the arrogant and the ignorant insist on it.

To email me, remove the "OT-" from OT-wrecked.boats.noah.
....as you were. )

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 17:35:39 GMT, "Floyd in Tampa"
wrote:

At a news conference today, a spokesman for Jumbo Shipping stated that
the crew was "highly experienced" in heavy lift. The Coast Guard is
still interviewing the remaining crew, by means of Russian
interpreters.

The Hudson River is closed to all traffic from a point one mile below
the port to one mile above, which effectively means all traffic above
the southern blockade.

Authorities have stated that they may allow "critical" shipping into
the port, such as heating oil and gasoline supplies.

The heavy salvage barges enroute from NYC are stalled on the river due
to heavy fog. The area went from temperatures in the 20's to 50°F.
and heavy rain today, causing very heavy fog along the icy river.

For those not in the area, two good sources of info are timesunion.com
and wten.com.
Regards,
noah

********************
Off-topic posting is a bit like farting in a house of worship.
Only children, the arrogant, or the ignorant, can truly enjoy it.
Only the arrogant and the ignorant insist on it.

To email me, remove the "OT-" from OT-wrecked.boats.noah.
....as you were. )

Some dramatic photos here.
The ship looked in very good shape...a lot better than some of the derelict
freighters that slip into my home port time to time.

Wayne.B wrote in message
...
On 11 Dec 2003 01:17:44 GMT, ojunk (BUDATLITHO)
wrote:

For a pic of the vessel (in the background)
see
http://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm

===============================

THe Albany Times Union newspaper has a good sequence of photos he

http://www.timesunion.com/specialreports/stellamare/

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 01:37:34 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:

Some dramatic photos here.
The ship looked in very good shape...a lot better than some of the derelict
freighters that slip into my home port time to time.


I noticed that, as well.

From a personal "look-see", and all the photos, this ship is (was) in
excellent condition.

It may be weeks before she's raised, and sent home, or whever, for
refitting. The Hudson is an estuary up to the Troy Dam, but the salt
is minimal at this location.

There is a general sense of sadness for the three missing crew,
presumed dead, that hovers over the whole scene.
Regards,
noah

********************
Off-topic posting is a bit like farting in a house of worship.
Only children, the arrogant, or the ignorant, can truly enjoy it.
Only the arrogant and the ignorant insist on it.

To email me, remove the "OT-" from OT-wrecked.boats.noah.
....as you were. )