exposed what??
First of all, ONE US Official (Which one? Who is it?) pointed to the US Coast Guard's Navigation and Regulations Handbooks clearly states this rule: "When two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the vessel which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel."
Let's see.
According to USCG Navigational Rules 1972.
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/navrules/navrules.pdf
Rules 2 - Responsibility
RULE 2 Responsibility (a)
Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case. (b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had
to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
Layman Translation
The rules is to set forth to ALL VESSEL which does not account for either Stand on or Give way vessel, but both, both are basically accountable for the action at seas, regardless of whether or not their status or limitation
Rule 5 - Look Out
RULE 5 Look-out Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.
Rule 5 states that every ship should places look-out to fully appraise the situation, something ACX Crystal did not do.
RULE 7 Risk of Collision
Rule 7 (a) Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt such risk shall be deemed to exist. (b) Proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and operational, including long-range scanning to obtain early warning of risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects. (c) Assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information. (d) In determining if risk of collision exists the following considerations shall be among those taken into account: (i) such risk shall be deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change; (ii) such risk may sometimes exist even when an appreciable bearing change is evident, particularly when approaching a very large vessel or a tow or when approaching a vessel at close range.
The assumption for the US Navy ship was not to be made with Scanty information, risk of determination factor on how close the vessel is toward the Navy Vessel, and (very importantly) not only provided on compass bearing.
Can any one tell me where and which direction is both ship is heading during the collision? If not, how do you know?
RULE 8 - Action to Avoid Collision
Rule 8 (a) Any action taken to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with the Rules of this Part and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship. (b) Any alteration of course and/or speed to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar; a succession of small alterations of course and/or speed should be avoided. (c) If there is sufficient sea room, alteration of course alone may be the most effective action to avoid a close-quarters situation provided that it is made in good time, is substantial and does not result in another close quarters situation. (d) Action taken to avoid collision with another vessel shall be such as to result in passing at a safe distance. The effectiveness of the action shall be carefully checked until the other vessel is finally past and clear. (e) If necessary to avoid collision or allow more time to assess the situation, a vessel shall slacken her speed or take all way off by stopping or reversing her means of propulsion. (f) (i) A vessel which, by any of these rules, is required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel shall, when required by the circumstances of the case, take early action to allow sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the other vessel. (ii) A vessel required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel is not relieved of this obligation if approaching the other vessel so as to involve risk of collision and shall, when taking action, have full regard to the action which may be required by the rules of this part. (iii) A vessel, the passage of which is not to be impeded remains fully obliged to comply with the rules of this part when the two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve risk of collision.
In Layman Term, the stand on vessel (the one that required to give way) should only comply to this rule to this part if there is sufficient sea room (In IMO Term, it's called Limited Passage)
Can anyone tell me how much searoom did USS Fitzgerald have when it collide with ACX Crystal?
Rule 14 - Head-On Situation
RULE 14 (a) When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other. (b) Such a situation shall be deemed to exist when a vessel sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and by night she could see the masthead lights of the other in a line or nearly in a line and/or both sidelights and by day she observes the corresponding aspect of the other vessel. (c) When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such a situation exists she shall assume that it does exist and act accordingly.
So, if the ships collided head on (which we don't know if this is the case) Both ship should alter her course starboard, not just the ships that on the other starboard.
RULE 17 Action by Stand-on Vessel
Rule 17 (a) (i) Where one of two vessels is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course and speed. (ii) The latter vessel may, however, take action to avoid collision by her maneuver alone, as soon as it becomes apparent to her that the vessel required to keep out of the way is not taking appropriate action in compliance with these Rules. (b) When, from any cause, the vessel required to keep her course and speed finds herself so close that collision cannot be avoided by the action of the give-way vessel alone, she shall take such action as will best aid to avoid collision. (c) A power-driven vessel which takes action in a crossing situation in accordance with subparagraph (a)(ii) of this Rule to avoid collision with another power-driven vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, not alter course to port for a vessel on her own port side. (d) This Rule does not relieve the give-way vessel of her obligation to keep out of the way.
The Stand on Vessel, the one that should keep her course, should still be taking evasive action if either the give way vessel failed to act, or the action by give way vessel alone cannot avoid collision. USS Fitzgerald is small, but it is still 9600 tons vessel, it cannot "dodge" any vessel like a motor launch or small boat, chances are if in a collision course, the action by Fitzgerald alone should not be enough to alter the course. Which mean ACX crystal is AS REQUIRED TO AVOID as much as the USS Fitzgerald have in this case.
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Now, for a simple response given by someone who claim to be an US Official which is not even a US Coast Guard Official because he or she is pointing to the handbooks and say this "generalised" comment, without knowing the investigation and circumstances, and we are suppose to hold his/her word (We don't even know the gender of the person as it did not say) as god's sworn truth?? LOL.
Let me give you (AND YOU GUYS) a hint, my cousin is a serving member of the US Coast Guard, my dad was ex-Navy, I have a lot of Navy friend enough to feed me information to know this
No ships was exempted from the responsibility for causing a collision, without knowing the circumstance, how do you or anyone know the truth behind the collision? And you are telling me, these people supposed to know nothing on the official investigation which give generalized statement like this know better than any of us?
Really funny guys.
lol. These people jump at ANY news that they can find and without the fact that supporting their claim, they just look, and yes, it looks like it's for real blaming the US Navy, that's good enough for them to post their verbal diarrhea up on the internet.
There are no "report" or "investigation" leak to the media suggesting which other way maybe to blame for the incident, they did not realise these supposed news were already in circulation right off the bat after the collision. For a non-informed person, it is easy to look like the US Navy is at fault, it was hit on the starboard, and starboard mean give way, but for a well informed person, did the buck stop there?
You can blame it on their education and the comprehension level on a subject, but I would not be surprised, judging by the recent trend this forum is heading.
Best just ignore these people.
lol, your country? How fair dinkum are you?
@Slav Defence is this an appropriate post on this forum?
Post like this is stupid (There are no other word for it) for someone placing this post, their mental ability should be examined by a General Practitioner.
I am alright if you want to challenge me in a meaningful way, but without regarding to the subject (Which I seriously doubt the poster know anything about) and go straight to accusing me as a dole bludger is, again, no other word for it, stupid.
lol, first of all, it wasn't me who start this thread, and I wasn't even aware of this thread before someone named
@Beast trying to troll me, I always say we should wait for the official report, but you and your folks are the one that post every which information there are on the internet and take it *** a pile of gold regardless of the source or what it actually say.
Why don't you just give up already??
If you don't want to get shafted, don't post stupid article.