Yacht runs aground

Hi,

Agreed.

On the Hat I run I bought a 600' reel to splice my dock lines, and keep the unused 300+' stored for just such an emergency or for doubling up. That CG boat would at least have it's dock lines that could be put together to make a tow line. It was at least worth a try. I wouldn't be concerned about retrieving the anchor in that situation, just getting it deployed. Worst comes to worst it can be brought up by hand or cut lose. In any case watching the entertainment just doesn't seem like what the CG is out there for.

The Coast Guard will rescue the vessel if it is in peril and there is not a tow boat nearby. Otherwise, they let the tow boat take it. Most Coast Guard boats have bits suitable for towing in case of a dire emergency like this.

The last sentence IMHO counts for any serious Coast Guard, Custom, Police or any other kind of governmental patrol boat all over the world. These guys are professional boaters and trained to help, when needed.

The other thing, I do not understand is the fact, that Brindisi harbour has a salvage tug station and a rescue boat facility. The Italian coast guard is stationed there, the Guardia di Finanza has a PT boat station there and the Italian Navy has an Airbase (rescue helicopter) and a harbour (with floating units) at Brindisi. Most of those boats and those Helos are on 24/7 stby all over the year. Tugs and all kinds of capable boats just on the other side of the breakwater. Nobody listen to the Mayday call or even responded ???

Below an aerial view of the harbour of Brindisi.

Mayday call

According to the media, fisherman responded to the Mayday call, but were unable to establish a tow? I could buy that. Not every fisherman is able to perform a rescue action like this. But on the other hand that would mean, this CG boat driving around the yacht under distress must have been informed about the state of emergency of this vessel. And with his local knowledge, the commander of this vessel must have known (with the given weather situation), where this yacht would finally end up. Sorry gentleman, but the international law of the sea calls this : "Failure to render assistance in an emergency".

Just try the practical point of view. A harbour with the size of Brindisi, a combined port for oil tanker, fishery, yachts, navy, different floating government agencies and an active salvage tug and rescue boat station plus an associated rescue helicopter station, has a port authority with radio station and listening watch of at least the local harbour frequency and the maritime emergency frequency. The call "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" or the Italian version "Emergenca, Emergenca, Emergenca" must have woken up somebody. If the above statement is correct, that there was a time frame of about an hour between the initial Distress call and the final crash into the breakwater, something is wrong in the Roman Empire !!!!

Italy is one of the oldest seafaring nations of the world and member of the SOLAS convention. They should be able to handle a situation like this. Costa Concordia, the Genova accident, this example, enough is enough !!! Italy is a beautiful country with very, very nice, intelligent and friendly people. I know, they can do better.

I don't believe that as a blanket statement. When I was leaving NY a week after Sandy I was told under no circumstances would the CG pull my boat off any sandbar or other underwater hazard- including the breakwater. They said they don't rescue vessels- just people. Other CG's I've spoken with previously were confirmed with this view. Of course that's just my personal experience, but the local Sea Tow captains (who have been crew on my boat during the coastwise voyage) also said they same thing.

Hii,

It may well have suffered some type failure such as a broken pipe and filled up

Was the youtube footage in the OP from a tv station or similar?

When I try to view it I get an error saying there have been allegations of copyright infringement, which can only correctly and legally be made by the owner of the footage, which originally would be whoever shot it...

Hi,

That will be Big Kev filtering your Internet, I am looking at it with a French ip addy and it runs fine on an iPad unlike a lot I look at.

Works here.

Too funny.

I dunno where I am.