Political Crossfire Forums

Ships somehow managing to crash into each other at sea is always amazing to me. Two biggest causes are improper or lack of watchkeeping, and improper respect to right of way. COLREGS state that all things being equal, the less maneuverable ship has the right of way. And also that a visual, eyeball watch must always be maintained. The tanker clearly had the right of way, best I can figure. I don't understand, from the info we've got, why (unless there is some sort of military reason) the tanker would be maneuvering to yield right of way to the destroyer. The tanker would be the stand-on vessel, the destroyer the give-way vessel. Because that destroyer could run rings around the tanker effortlessly.

None of this makes any sense.

even if the tanker was the same size it had right away; destroyer was creamed on starboard side meaning destroyer should have yielded

the AIS should have told the destroyer about the tanker. the radar should have seen the tanker. the watchmen should have seen it. the fact the destroyer didn't give way means... they didn't know to give way, because whomever was at the helm didn't know anyone saw it, which is insane