Venezuelan Navy Ship Sinks after Ramming Cruise Ship
 

Sorry for lack of aviation content, but thought it needed posting here. Another captain who won’t get another command......

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/v...iner-6t9wggf5d

Venezuelan navy ship sinks after ramming reinforced cruise liner

A Venezuelan navy patrol vessel has sunk in the Caribbean after ramming a cruise liner, apparently unaware that it had a reinforced hull.

Columbia Cruise Services, the owner of the cruise liner, said that the Venezuelan crew had fired shots and appeared to be trying to seize the civilian vessel, which was also an icebreaker. It described the move as an “act of aggression in international waters”.

The 403ft RCGS Resolute is a luxury liner which sails under a Portuguese flag and is designed for voyages in Antarctica.It had been drifting 13 miles off La Tortuga, an uninhabited Venezuelan island 60 miles off the northern coast, according to its owner. Columbia, a German company, said that one of the vessel’s engines had been shut down for maintenance and it had been making its way towards port on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.

In the early hours of Monday the Resolute had been approached by a Venezuelan navy patrol vessel, the Naiguatá, which then ordered it to navigate into Venezuelan waters, the company said. The captain refused to follow instructions, explaining that he first needed to contact the head office in Germany. At that point several shots were fired from the Venezuelan vessel, which then rammed the cruise liner’s hull in an effort to force it to change course.

The Finnish-built Resolute is equipped with the highest Polar class reinforced hull, making it easily capable of breaking thick Antarctic ice and therefore suitable for “year-round operation in all polar waters”. As a result it is nearly impervious to ramming by another vessel. The steel-hulled patrol boat suffered severe damage and soon began to take on water.

Columbia said that the Resolute had remained in the vicinity of the incident for more than an hour and had offered assistance. Its captain alerted the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Curacao, which eventually advised him to continue his journey. Images taken from the pier in Curacao appear to show only minor damage to the Resolute.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e4f0edbc8.jpeg


All 44 members of the naval crew were rescued by the local authorities, but the Spanish-built vessel, which cost $350 million, sank without trace in waters 180 metres deep.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6eb784711.jpeg


The Venezuelan government has given a different version of events.

Vladimir Padrino, the minister of defence, said that the cruise ship had been at fault and had committed an “act of imperial aggression” and “piracy”.

Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan president, who this week was indicted by the US government for alleged drug trafficking, has suggested that mercenaries were on board the cruise liner, although he has not provided any evidence.

Portugal being imperially aggressive against Venezuela. That's a new one.

I guess the moral of the story is don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

A strange example in the present day of a cruise ship being ordered to dock rather than being ordered to stay away......

Venezuela probably want to surpass the USA in all things - including Virus cases....................

Looks as though those scuffs should buff out.

Seems a bit bizarre that you would choose to ram a civilian ship, with the amount of firepower at your disposal on a naval vessel, even a patrol ship?

That ship was $350. Not even three F35's

At that price, I'll take a hundred please. ;)

As there seem to have been no casualties (apart from a certain ship’s captain’s career) may I just say ,,,

😁 😃 🤪 😂 👏 🍷

Poor Skippers' gonna get a swift kick in the Caracas for this!

Here's the ideal song for the occasion.......
Jack

“Video Unavailable” ... dammit!

can the 'Resolute' now be classed as a 'cruise missile' ? i'll get ma coat........

Surely a little boat like that didn't cost anywhere near $350M?

Well, once you take all the the backhanders into account the price sure mounts up.........

resolute having or showing a fixed, firm purpose; determined; resolved; unwavering

And they have a paint job at hand. One white, blue for the bow and a nice patrol boat on the chimney.

best stories are from the real life...

That was only the first mistake the Captain made!
David

Why am I reminded of an occasion when it snowed at Waddington...the fire section could not play volleyball and so built a snowman, which unfortunately was given a male appendage and other risqué body parts. Satco (ATC was next door) took exception and ordered the destruction of the snowman, so two air traffickers drove a Land Rover at it at speed to end it once and forever.. Unfortunately, the snowman was built around a concrete fire hydrant marker and the said Land Rover was written off rather than the snowman.

This story has cheered me up no end! Bully boy lunatics getting their come uppance magic...

Corbyn will be gutted!