what happened to the captain of the oceanos
The British inquiry essentially exonerated him, saying he did nothing other captains wouldnt have done. The sewage and water systems had their one way "check valves" removed and not replaced. Seamen have expressed almost universal outrage at Capt. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yiannis_Avranas&oldid=1133434367, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 19:56. Industries; War and Militaries; A Greek board of inquiry found Avranas and four officers negligent in their handling of the disaster. [citation needed], While trying to make up lost time, Oceanos encountered rough seas. On the morning of July 12, 1952, Forges Chantiers de la Gironde launched the last of four sister ships in Bordeaux, France, under the name of Jean Laborde. We were crazy to do that dive.. Smith, who evacuated the ship women and children first until there were no lifeboats left, and then perished with it. Only entertainment staff, singers and waiters helped us later. Both he and Paul had to carry stage cylinders for Brett that would be required at specific depths, so the team had to remain together throughout the dive. Several of the ship's crew, notably Capt. The most famous, perhaps, is the captain of the Titanic, E.J. "In Anglo-American law, you would lose your license and make yourself liable.". 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.. The weather conditions became so severe that Avranas determined it best to abandon ship and hope for rescue from nearby vessels or helicopters. In between, however, the first engineer was terrified. Regular drills ensure everyone knows what to do. 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. In 2015, a court found Schettino guilty of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, abandoning ship before passengers and crew were evacuated and lying to authorities about the disaster. hide caption. In 1994, his English wife Davina published a book about . The objective was to show how the application of experience and established diving technique to a near-insurmountable challenge could safely lead to success. He is being held in house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges. He was 46 years old. 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 day of the first dive had dawned. On one occasion the 200-liter drum we used as a marker buoy was pulled down to 34m by the current. But his or her responsibility extends to executing the evacuation plan that all passenger ships are required to have and practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWGXa8QivR4. Unable to spend sufficient time on the wreck, the Camera 7 team was forced to deploy a remote, surface-controlled camera to acquire the footage required for their investigation. What happened to the captain of the Oceanos? The Oceanos thrust her stern into the air and slid nose first into the sea. "You need someone on the ship to communicate with them, to command the people who are on the ship, to help get the passengers off and to guide the rescuers.". Becky Little is a journalist based in Washington, D.C. The ocean had reached the point where the sea was 81 meters deep. The captain of the Oceanos was alerted to the problem after receiving reports of water entering some of the cabins on board. Now he was about to preside over one of the worst sea disasters of all time. When his "death-glorious ship" sinks, Ahab mourns that he's been denied the "pride" of having gone down with her. Steve said, We had to hold onto the anchor line with all our strength. A coast guard member angrily told him on the phone to Get back on board, damn it!a recorded sound bite that turned into a T-shirt slogan in Italy. An often asked question is what happened to the captain of the oceans at this stage, eyewitness accounts reveal that many of the crew, including Captain Avranias, were already packed and ready to depart, seemingly unconcerned with the safety of the passengers. He was never incarcerated and Epirotiki gave him command of a ferry until his retirement. Smith now knew the Titanic was doomed. 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. (Reuter) | Aug 07, 1991 8:00PM EDT. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. / Updated May 22, 2010 / 12:42 PM PDT 20 PHOTOS . The captain of the Oceanos was an experienced seaman Yiannis Avranas, who had been sailing the oceans for 30 years, including 20 years as an officer. They were taken from the hotel to the airport five minutes before the plane left, otherwise we would still be there judging us , says Nikolaou. He says he lowered the switches, stopped the power generators and the ships engines. Diving The Oceanos. Captain of White Star Liner, RMS Titanic, Commander Edward J. Smith, c. 1911. "I'm totally embarrassed by what he did," he said of Schettino. 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 waves reached 14 meters. Soon after the collision, he and other officers saw what they believed to be the lights of a nearby ship. Here's a link if you want to see a video of the story. On 3 August 1991, the Oceanos set out from East London, South Africa and headed to Durban. [2], At the time of the accident, Yiannis Avranas had been an officer for twenty years and a seaman for thirty. The cruise ship had sailed with seven beauforts. The American inquiry was only slightly harsher in its judgment. Powered by Invision Community. "His duty as the highest authority available short of God himself was to make sure his crew was safe before he left the ship," says Craig Symonds, a retired Naval Academy historian. What happened to the Italian cruise ship captain? What happened to the captain of the Costa Concordia? Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images When the team arrived at the wreck marker buoys, it was evident that the current was almost non-existent and the wind and swell had all but disappeared. Employer. Receive the latest AI investment news, offers, and updates from Rebellion Research. All 571 people on board were saved, following one of the worlds most dramatic and successful rescue operations of its kind. [16] A South African Navy Diver testified that the captain had insisted on being taken ashore by the first helicopter. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. We meet him in Piraeus, where he lives after his retirement. Most crew members left first with lifeboats . Captain Yiannis Avranas told reporters in Durban that he did not desert the ship but left to coordinate rescue efforts from shore. [2] Divers have visited her, but strong currents make the dive difficult. I will certainly avoid any Greek ferriesof course truth be known, I avoid all foreign ferries since I don't trust what they think an acceptable number of passengers is. On August 3, 1991, Oceanos set sail for East London, South Africa and headed north for Durban, led by Captain Yiannis Avranas. 1940) had been an officer for twenty years and a seaman for thirty. Schettino argued that he fell into a lifeboat because of how the ship was listing to one side, but this argument proved unconvincing. Must a captain be the last one off a sinking ship? 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. A wide range of diverse considerations had to be taken care of, both personally and as a team. For a moment, they disappeared where had the bubbles gone? About 2:00 p.m., the Oceanos begins its vertical descent. "It is not just unseemly for a captain to leave a ship," Shealy says. We strive for accuracy and fairness. 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. 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. Avranas at the time defended his actions, saying he left the ship to direct rescue operations. The ships were used on the Marseilles Madagascar Mauritius service. All Rights Reserved. The divers had penetrated 70m into the wreck with the aid of the scooters. Greg Daugherty, alongtime magazine editor and frequent contributor to HISTORY.com, has also written on historical topics for Smithsonian, National Geographic Traveler, and other outlets. South Korean authorities have arrested Capt. The water steadily rose and flowed through the 10 cm hole in the bulkhead and into the waste disposal tank. The dive was aborted for the day. 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. "[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". 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. "It isn't just a maritime code, it's a code of leadership," Gurnon said. With holes in its walls, loose hull plates, and missing parts that control the flow of water, it looked pretty neglected. The Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian coast in 2012, killing 32 people. The ship was built in France and owned by a Greek cruise ship company.
