Cover of Ralph Magazine

Dr. Beach Asks: What Vessel Lost This?

Actually, 130,000 Plastic Breasts Somewhere Between Beijing & Sydney.

Frequent readers of The Cargo Letter know that our pal Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer -- known to his pals as "Dr. Beach" -- is the world's leading scientist studying global open ocean drift patterns. Today, Dr. Beach needs your help to solve a new mystery.

THE MYSTERY:

December 02, 2008

"Ralph" -- an Australian men's magazine -- says 130,000 inflatable breasts intended as a free gift for its January issue have gone missing en route to Australia.

A spokeswman for Ralph magazine said the container carrying US$200,000 worth of plastic breasts left "docks" in Beijing two weeks ago but turned up empty in Sydney on Dec. 2 2008.

The magazine has put out an alert to shipping authorities but if the breasts didn't turn up soon it would be too late for the next issue.

Ralph editor Santi Pintado urged anyone with information to contact the magazine.

"Unless Somali pirates have stolen them its difficult to explain where they are," the magazine said.

"If anyone finds any washed up on a beach, please let us know."

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had no information on any lost consignment and Customs said it could not comment for privacy reasons.

Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer

What Vessel?

What Mishap?

SUBMIT YOUR SOLUTION TO THIS MYSTERY ENTERED HERE - What Is The Answer?

Editor Note:

We're attempting to acquire the shipping documents, since identification of vessel & voyage is a great aid to unraveling mysteries of this type. Readers of The Cargo Letter have thus far never failed to solve one of Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer's Flotsam Mysteries.

This said, there may be an even chance that the cargo of plastic breasts may have departed Beijing by truck and was pilfered before the container was loaded aboard the vessel at Shanghai. We prefer the flotsam explanation!

McD

Mystery Solved -- In Typical Cargo Law Fashion OUr Readers Solved This Puzzule Within 24 Hours

Les Crossan from the UK tells us that readers of Ralph Magazine are doubtless beside themselves with joy at the news that they will not, after all, have to suffer Xmas without the benefit of a couple of free inflatable breasts.

Over 130,000 pairs of Bulgarian airbags intended as a giveaway with the magazine's Dec. 15 issue went awol en route from Beijing to Sydney. Initial reports suggested they'd gone missing from their shipping container and were presumably drifting the world's oceans in a vast mammary shoal.

However, the Australian now reveals that they have in fact been sitting in a Melbourne container yard for a week "after Chinese officials lost the paperwork and put them on the wrong vessel", as a Ralph spokeswoman has explained.

Relieved Ralph editor Santi Pintado said: "If we'd found them a day later, it'd have been too late to get them on the next issue. You'd think the Chinese economy was in enough trouble without misplacing 130,000 pairs of boobs."

The publication is apparently now expecting to break the Guinness World Record for the most breasts given away in one hit - an impressive achievement which will certainly be written large in the annals of publishing history.

We would have preferred these breasts to be floating toward a port near you. Science might have been served better.

McD

Our Other Adventures With Dr. Beach -- All The Mysteries Were Solved By Our Readers:

Dr. Beach's Mystery Beer Tank - 2008

Dr. Beach's Mystery Buoy - 2005

Unstacked - 2004

Legend of The Great White Dorrito - 2000

Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer:

Docctor Ebtsmyer - Wikipedia

Lost Sea Cargo: Bounty or Junk?

Dr. Curt's Rubber Ducky

Just Ducky

Message In A Bottle - Smithsonian Magazine July 2001

Pacific Toy Spill

Wind Driven Ocean Currents: Shoes, Ships & Rubber Ducks

Curt Ebbesmeyer' Beachcombers' Alert Newsletter - Curt hopes you will E-mail accounts of interesting flotsam to him at his great quarterly newsletter Beachcombers' Alert - concerning all things afloat and beached. You will receive a complimentary copy.

Flotsam World

The Flotsam Font

Global Drift Center

Real Time Sea Drift Tracks

Research Ship Scedules

Contributors For This Feature:

Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer

Les Crossan

Bob King

MV Ciudad de Ushuaia -- Aground With 89 Passengers & 33 Crew At The South Pole.

Which Way To The Cocktail Lounge?

From The Cargo Letter - Dec. 5, 2008  

It is just over one year after our feature on the polar cruise ship M/V Explorer which sank off Antarctica in Nov. 2007. Now another such ship, MV Ciudad de Ushuaia, has run aground on rocks in the same area. Governments and international organizations responsible for protecting the environment on the frozen continent are likely to feel more pressure to tighten rules for tourist ships at the ends of the Earth.

MV Ciudad de Ushuaia with 122 aboard ran aground on the coast of Antarctica Nov. 4, and was to be evacuated within hours by the first of several rescue vessels heading to its aid, Argentine officials said this afternoon.

The 89 passengers & 33 crew on the Argentine-registered MV Ciudad de Ushuaia "are not in danger," the head of the Argentine National Antarctica Directorate, Mariano Memolli, told a television station. He said MV Ciudad de Ushuaia ran aground in Wilhelmina Bay, part of a peninsula that reaches towards the southern tip of South America, but "there was no risk of (her) sinking."

The nationalities of the passengers & crew are not immediately known.

Argentina & Chile, the two closest nations, are organizing a joint rescue operation. A Chilean vessel is expected to reach the cruise liner and take off the passengers as a precaution. A vessel belonging to the National Geographic Society was in the area and may also participate.

The grounded cruise ship was used for tourist trips around Antarctica. It regularly left from Ushaia, the southernmost Argentine city that is a popular destination for Argentines and foreigners.

Originally built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1970, the 2,923-ton MV Ciudad de Ushuaia is one of several dozen small expedition ships that operate adventure cruises to Antarctica each year during the brief Antarctic summer -- the period from late Nov. until March when the ice around the continent melts back enough to allow visits.

The often-spartan voyages, which appeal to well-heeled adventurers from around the globe who pay US$4,000 per person or more for the chance to see one of the most remote adn untrammled regions on Earth, have grown in popularity in recent years. But several recent incidents also have raised concerns about the trips, which offer the chance to see everything from giant icebergs to penguins and whales.

ONCE AGAIN -- THIS IS WHEN .... SHIP HAPPENS!

From The Cargo Letter - Dec. 6, 2008 - All Rescued

At 0530 LT / 0830 UTC, all passengers plus five staff and their luggage were transferred from the MV Ushuaia to the Chilean Naval Vessel Achiles, using Zodiac landing craft from the MV Ushuaia and the MV Antarctic Dream. An additional Zodiac landing craft from the Achiles with a rescue team and a diver was also on standby. The crew of the MV Ushuaia plus two staff of Antarpply Expeditions, the operator of the MV Ushuaia, remain aboard the grounded vessel.

The passengers are settled in their new accommodation and were very appreciative of the welcome and breakfast with which the crew of the Achiles greeted them. At 0930 LT / 1230UTC, the Achiles left the vicinity of the MV Ushuaia and is now underway towards Eduardo Frei Station (Chile), Maxwell Bay, King George Island. Read Enture Press Release

Index For This Feature:  

MV Explorer -- Lost In The Same Antarctic Area -

"Explorer Ship Down" - M/V Explorer - Nov. 2007 -- One Year Ago, The Vessel Was Lost - Dramatic Photos

Our Ship's Storte -- Get Your SHIP HAPPENS GEAR! For The Holiday Season. Great Gifts!

A 2003 Cruise Aboard MV Ciudad de Ushuaia

Creuise Ship M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay -- High & Dry In Glacier Bay.

Which Way To The Cocktail Lounge?

From The Cargo Letter - July 7, 2008  

The 207-foot M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay with 24 passengers and 27 crew was traveling just over 1 mph when she ran aground at near Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska 7:12 a.m., said Jerrol Golden, spokeswoman for Cruise West Enterprises, a Seattle-based company that owns the ship home-ported in Juneau.

This was the second time this season that a Cruise West vessel has hit bottom in Alaska's Inside Passage. In early June, the M/V Spirit of Alaska hit a rock in Tracy Arm fjord on the second day of a week-long cruise. That cruise was canceled, and the 40 passengers onboard were transferred to another Cruise West ship leaving from Juneau the next day.

M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay was moving slowly when the mishap occurred on a three-night cruise of Glacier Bay. It occurred in Tarr Inlet northwest of the park.

The U.S. Coast Guard said the hull of the ship was not compromised and no injuries were reported. There also was no indication that the ship was leaking any fuel. Boom to contain any fuel that might spill was deployed around the vessel as a precaution.

The cause of the grounding was not immediately announced, which means they are not to eager too eager to let you know.

The U.S. Coast Guard Station Juneau responded by sending aircraft and ships to the stranded vessel. The U.S. National Park Service also dispatched an agency vessel from Glacier Bay.

M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay was refloated on the high tide at 4:23 p.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard said skies were clear and seas were calm when the mishap occurred.

The U.S. Coast Guard sent two MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka to the cruise ship, as well as a 25-foot response boat that arrived at about 12:15 p.m. One of the helicopters returned while the other remained at the scene.

"We are assessing the situation," said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Levi Read. He said the U.S. Coast Guard was working on the problem with Cruise West Enterprises, a Seattle-based company that owns the ship home-ported in Juneau.

A U.S. Coast Guard investigator and inspector also were flown to the ship by float plane. It was their job to begin a preliminary investigation into how the ship grounded and whether the M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay is seaworthy, Petty Officer Read said.

Passengers & non-essential crew were transferred to a Glacier Bay Park Service vessel and taken to Gustavus, Alaska for transfer to Juneau.

The ship was built in 1984. It was formerly known as the M/V Spirit of Nantucket and was based on the East Coast.

It underwent minor refurbishing and was renamed and repositioned to Alaska this year, where twice a week it runs cruises of Glacier Bay National Park, a 3.3-million acre marine park known for its spectacular glaciers and marine mammals, including humpback whales and Steller sea lions.

Cruise West Enterprises said passengers would be compensated for the inconvenience but she was not sure exactly what would be offered. Three-night cruises aboard the M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay range in price from US$1,799 to US$2,499.

M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay On Dry Land In Glacier Bay, Alaska. There Will Some Explaining To Do.

Editor Note:

Having sailed Glacier Bay only last month, I can tell you the sheer beauty & majesty of the area is unmatched. But this is not an area in which you would chose to be stranded. The elements are harsh & the location isolated. The U.S. Coast Guard & U.S. National Park Service are good friends to have close at hand..... when SHIP HAPPENS!

McD

Index For This Feature:  

M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay National Park

Cruise Ship Map Back To Top

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A Project 971 Shchuka-B Submarine Underway In The Baltic Sea. Similar To Russian Submarine K-152 Nerpa

Russian Submarine K-152 Nerpa Began Sea Trials Oct. 27, 2008 & Ended On Nov. 8, 2008 With At Least 20 Dead.

K-152 Nerpa Sat From 1991 to 2008 -- Not Finished As a Ship -- Abandoned For 17 Years. Should We Have Expected A problem?

The Rebirth of Russian World Importance May Be moving Too Swiftly.

From The Cargo Letter - Nov. 8 2008

On Oct. 27, 2008, it was reported that the Akula-II submarine K-152 Nerpa had begun her sea trials in the Russian Pacific fleet before handover under a lease agreement to the Indian Navy. On Nov. 8, 2008, while conducting one of these trials, an accidental activation of the freon-based fire-extinguishing system took place in the fore section of the vessel. Within seconds the freon gas had displaced all breathable air from the compartment. As a result, 20 people (14 civilians and 6 seamen), possibly more, were killed by asphyxiation. Dozens of others suffered freon-related injuries and were evacuated to. There were 208 people on board at the time, 81 of whom were servicemen. Following the incident the vessel was ordered to suspend sea trials and return to port in the far eastern Primorye territory. This was the worst accident in the Russian navy since the loss of the submarine Kursk in 2000. The submarine itself did not sustain any serious damage and there was no release of radiation.

K-152 Nerpa	K-152 Nerpa
Displacement: 8,140 tons surfaced Length: 108.0 - 111.7 m (sources vary) Beam: 13.5 meters Draught: 9.6 meters	Operator: Russian Navy Port of Registry: Russia Laid Down: 1991 Launched: 2008

The Russian submarine K-152 Nerpa is a 8,140 tonne Project 971 Shchuka-B type nuclear-powered attack submarine (Called an Akula class submarine by NATO). Construction was started in 1991, but suspended due to lack of funding. K-152 Nerpa was launched by the Amur shipyard in October 2008.

A false alarm was responsible for setting off the emission of deadly fire-extinguishing gases on a "new" Russian nuclear-powered submarine in the Sea of Japan, Russian navy officials said.

"Autopsy results confirm that the people died as a result of inhaling freon gas released when the fire-extinguishing system was activated in one of the submarine's compartments" last night, a spokesman for the federal probe panel said. Freon is a cooling agent used in automatic fire-extinguishing systems. Due to accidental activation, the compartment was "hermetically" sealed and technicians inside it were suffocated, while in the usual condition the crew uses individual gas masks.

Freon-112 was the gas emitted in two compartments of the submarine when a fire alarm went off. Such releases are normally preceded by a specific light and sound signal, after which all on board are supposed to put on gas masks, which will allow them to survive for 30 minutes before they can leave the affected compartments or the compartments have been adequately ventilated.

Costruction on K-152 Nerpa began in 1991 -- but was stopped when the Soviet Union failed. The vesse wasl "on the shelf" for 17 years and might be expected to have some problems. Today this has cost lives.

Indian media have reported that the construction of the submarine was partially financed by the Indian government. India has reportedly paid US$650M for a 10-year lease of the 8,140 tons submarine.

According to Indian defense sources, Nerpa is expected to join the Indian Navy under the designation INS Chakra in the second half of 2009.

This 2008 accident while K-152 Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan causing the deaths of up to 20 sailors, possibly more, and the injury of 21.

1. Personnel working in front section of submarine affected when fire extinguishers set off unexpectedly 2. Affected area may have been sealed off, trapping personnel inside. There were more staff than usual on board as submarine was undergoing tests 3. Fire extinguishers release freon gas, which displaces breathable oxygen, causing workers to suffocate 4. Twenty people die and 21 are injured

K-152 Nerpa is an attack submarine. According to experts there are 14 of its kind currently in service.

Experts say that a lot of Russian military production has relied on stockpiles from the Soviet era which are now dwindling.

And if the parts used in the construction of military equipment are old and in short supply, so too are the highly-skilled technicians and engineers needed to assemble them.

With very few submarines produced over the past two decades, it has been difficult for specialists to either maintain or develop their skills - and that is assuming they have not already retired or left the country.

The test of the K-152 Nerpa was the first such test since 1995.

As the Nerpa sailed through the Sea of Japan , there were more than 200 people on board.

Most were civilian technicians from the shipyard where the submarine was built. It is thought they were instructing the navy crew on how to operate the submarine.

There are many theories about what triggered the fire-extinguishing system.

It is telling that some experts even believe it might have been someone lighting a cigarette.

If the full truth about the accident is ever revealed it will be too late to prevent the damage to Russia's reputation as an arms supplier.

The main Indian news agency PTI, has confirmed that Delhi was planning to lease the Nerpa and a second nuclear submarine of the same class from next year.

India is very eager to get hold of the submarines so it can push ahead with plans to develop a sea-launched nuclear weapons system.

But those plans have now been delayed, at the very least.

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Legendary Congestion At Puerto La Guaira, Venezuela

Loaded Containers Head For The Out-Gate Vs. Empty Chassis At The In-Gate

Index For This Feature:  

La Guaira

Contributors For This Feature:

Daniel Guzzoni

Pirates Seize M/V Faina Off Somalia - U.S. Navy Photo

THE Most Spectacular Act of Piracy In The 21st Century

From The Cargo Letter - Sept. 27 2008

Ukrainian (Belize-flagged) vessel M/V Faina, Nikolayev, Ukraine to Kenyan port of Mombassa, seized by pirates off the coast of Kenya on Sept. 26. The vessel was carrying 33 soviet-made T-72 tanks, tank artillery shells, grenade launchers and small arms. The ship's crew consists of 17 Ukrainians, 3 Russians and a Latvian. The weapons had been sold to Kenya by Ukraine. The vessel had deliberately taken a route far from the coast of Somalia, where pirates are known to be rampant. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Sept. 27 2008)

---

---

M/V Faina
IMO NUMBER : 7419377 VESSEL TYPE: RO-RO CARGO HULL TYPE: DOUBLE HULL GROSS TONNAGE: 10.931 tons SUMMER DWT : 9.019 tons BUILD : 1978 BUILDER: LODOSE VARV LODOSE - SWEDEN FLAG : BELIZE OPERATOR: TOMEX TEAM ODESSA - UKRAINE OWNER: WATERLUX PANAMA CLASSIFICATION: KM* L3: Last Special Survey 2008 Aug 2001 : GENERIC	VESSELDIMENSIONS BREADTH EXTREME: 18,03 m BREADTH MOULDED: 18,03 m DEPTH: 13,35 m DRAUGHT: 6,72 m FREEBOARD: 6.640,0 mm LENGTH B/W PERPENDICULARS: 152,50 m LENGTH OVERALL :161,37 m LENGTH REGISTERED :161,40 m NET TONNAGE : 3.280 tons DISPLACEMENT (SUMMER) : 13.650 tons BALLAST : 3.565 tons BUNKER :525,00 tons FUEL OIL :900 tons

The Horn of Africa - Somalia Pirate Territory

From The Cargo Letter - Sept. 28 2008

U.S. Navy destroyer USS Howard has made visual contact with Ukrainian M/V Faina now moored off the Somali coast.

There is no indication that the USS Howard is about to approach the MV Faina, which is carrying 33 T-72 main battle tanks destined for Kenya's government.

Russian missile frigate Neustrashimy is heading towards the region at top speed.

The pirates have reportedly demanded a ransom of US$35M (£19m) to release the Ukrainian vessel and her crew.

But the Kenyan government has cast doubt on the report, saying it had not been issued with ransom demands.

The pirates warned against any attempt to rescue the crew or cargo of the ship. This time -- perhaps the pirates should be warned.

Speaking in imperfect English, Capt. Nikolsky of M/V Faina said he had recently spoken to the captain of what he said was a U.S. Coast Guard ship, who asked about the situation aboard M/V Faina.

"I tell him that everything in normal condition," he said.

While Ukrainian officials had said there were 21 people aboard _ 17 Ukrainian, three Russian and a Latvian _ Capt. Nikolsky said there were 21 crew and a total of 35 people aboard. Life.ru showed images of Russian passports for both Nikolsky and the captain, Kolobkov.

"Everybody in normal condition. Not good, but normal," he said.

He said he was speaking from the bridge but that the rest of the crew members were all "collected in one room without free air."

San Diego Based USS Howard DDG 83 - On Guard

In Visual Range

From The Cargo Letter - Sept. 28 2008

Guided missile destroyer USS Howard was stationed off the Somali coast on Sept. 28, making sure that the pirates did not remove the US$30M worth of tanks, ammunition and other heavy weapons, including rocket launchers from M/V Faina, which was anchored off the coast.

A spokesman for the U.S. 5th Fleet said the U.S. Navy remained "deeply concerned" over the fate of the ship's 21-member crew and cargo.

In a great gesture of cooperation, the Americans are keeping an eye on the Faina until the Russian missile frigate Neustrashimy, or Intrepid, reaches the area. The Russian ship was still in the Atlantic on Sept. 28, the Russian Navy reported.

From The Cargo Letter - Sept. 28 2008 PM - One Crew Dead - Russian Navy Approaches

Late reports are that the pirate ransom demands have crashed from US$35M to US$5M -- as the Russian Navy approaches.

A Russian crew member of MV Faina died Sept. 28 because of hypertension.

Russian Missile Frigate Neustrashimy Avenging Angel Is Enroute

-------- The Russians Messing With The Wrong Victim? Russian Spetsnaz May Be Seen

33 T-72 Main Battle Tanks The Ultimate Prize Booty

Edtor Note - Sept. 28 2008 PM

After years of watching the Somali pirates seize hapless travelers & UN food relief ships, we watched French Commandos retake the luxury S/V Le Ponant in April 2008. Job well done!

Now the stakes are higher as deadly Russian military hardware sits off the coast in M/V Faina.

Will Russian Spetsnaz forces come as the ghosts they are? Maritime history may be made. The Russians are not known for elegant solutions.

You Can't Make This Suff Up,

Michael S. McDaniel

SPECIAL READERS NOTE: New Reports On & After Sept. 29 2008 -- With New Photos -- Are Now Located At Our Special Photo Feature Page.

Go To This Link -- this story continues:

"Tank You, From The Somali Pirates" - a Cargo Law Photo Feature

There are many new revelations, dangers & action -- as this remarkable story unfolds!

Index For This Feature:  

M/V Faina

USS Howard DDG 83 - "Ready For Victory"

Russian Missile Frigate Neustrashimy

Russian Spetsnaz Troops

T-72 Main Battle Tank - The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. It is a further development of the T-62[4] with some features of the T-64A (to which it was a parallel design) and has been further developed as the T-90. Chronologically, and in design terms, it belongs to the same generation of tanks as the U.S. M60 Patton, German Leopard 1, and British Chieftain tank. More recently, the T-72's reputation has suffered following poor combat performance against modern Western tanks such as the M1 Abrams and Challenger 1 during the first and second Persian Gulf wars, although poor tank crew training must be taken into account.

Tomex Team

S/V Le Ponant - the French pirate rescue - April 2008

Contributors For This Feature:

A.L. Griffiths

John Orsini

Franklin Orosco

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From The Cargo Letter - Aug. 28 2008

A Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-200, registration PK-CJG on Flight SJ-62 from Jakarta to Jambi Sultan Taha, Indonesia with 125 passengers & 6 crew on board, overran the 2000 meter long asphalt Runway 31 at Jambi, ploughed through a house and came to a stop in a vegetables field. 6 passengers, 2 flight attendants and a family of three resting in the house were injured, the family father critically (reportedly lost one arm), and rushed to a local hospital.

The Boeing 737-200 had been landing towards northwest in heavy rain & marginal conditions, when the brakes failed. The airplane went about 250 meters past the runway and 3 meters below runway elevation. The right hand wing received damage, the right engine according to initial reports was reportedly ripped off. Later reports suggest, that both engines detached and the main landing gear was ripped off.

One flight attendant received head injuries during opening the door for evacuation from being pushed by panicking passengers, the other received bruises being crushed by passengers, both were located at the rear doors. The cabin crew at the front exits received minor bruises in the passenger rush.

A hydraulics failure during final approach is being suspected, forcing a manual reversion with no anti-skid available. Landing a Boeing 737-200 in manual reversion mode is clearly an emergency.

Passengers reported, that the Captain made an announcement about a possible problem and "not to worry" before landing.

Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-200 Surrounded By Emergency Responders - An Orderly Evacuation

Press Photo Depicts Deployed Emergency Slide At Forward Door For Aircraft Orderly Evacuation -- But What Really Happend?

A Somewhat Less Orderly Version of This Incident Comes To Us In The Photos of A Passenger Aboard Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ-62

Ron Kooy, an American Expat Employee of PetroChina Company Limited Took These Photos As He Looked Back After "Landing".

Ron Kooy On His Routine Flight To Work In Jambi Was Aboard As The Sriwijaya 737 Slipped Off The End of The Runway...

He Is Fine Thank God, But Rather Shook Up. Ron Kooy Took Photos Much Different From Those of The Press.

Accrording To A Passenger- A Different Story - Aug. 28 2008

Ron Kooy From His Anonymous Colleague At PetroChina Company Limited - Aug. 28 2008

The Forward Doors were never opened at all and the (Emergency) Slide was never deployed.... obviously a publicity stunt to jazz the media...

There was no warning like "Brace Brace Brace" or that fancy crap they show you at the beginning of the flight.

When Ron Kooy was getting up to leave and waiting for the Flight Attendants direction he happened to look back. Out of 125 passengers only 10 were left, exiting the emergency exits of the plane...

So much for safety drills and all...Geez...

So he grabbed his back pack, two crying frightened girls and left the plane by stepping off the wing.

"Here is the shitty parking job our pilot attempted yesterday. At least we didn't need the ladders!" - Ron Kooy

 

Boeing 737-200, Registration PK-CJG

Boeing 737-2H4 First Flight 23 May 1985 With Bouraq On Receipt From Lufthansa

Next History:

Malaysian Airline System

Tuninter, Tunisia

WFBN, USA

Star Air, Indonesia

Sriwijaya Airlines, 22 May 2004

Index For This Feature:  

Sriwijaya Air

Wikipedia

PetroChina Company Limited

Contributors For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor -- Who Must Be Anonymous

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M/V Gem of Kilakari Underway & Under Pirate Attack, Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, In The Gulf of Aden, Near Somalia.

Photo By U.S. Marine Cpl. Kevin McCall Shows One of Two Attacking Pirate Vessels

A Bad Sight In The Rear View Mirror -- If You Are A Pirate!

USS Peleliu -- "The Iron Nickel" -- Carries:

6 x AV-8B Harrier Attack Planes

4 x AH-1W Super Cobra Attack Helicopters

12 x CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopters

9 x CH-53 Sea Stallion Helicopters

4 x UH-1N Huey Helicopters

262 Officers, 2,543 Enlisted Sailors & 2,200 U.S. Marines

From The Cargo Letter - Aug. 8 2008

USS Peleliu (LHA 5) and embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU) stopped a pirate attack of a civilian merchant vessel Aug. 8 approximately 80 miles north of Somalia while conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

Under the direction of Combined Task Force 51 (CTF 51), USS Peleliu responded to a call for help from the merchant vessel Gem of Kilakarai at approximately 7 a.m. when the ship reported it was under attack from armed pirates in two small boats with weapons and rifle-launched grenades.

Operating approximately 10 miles away from the merchant vessel when the distress call was received, USS Peleliu altered her course to intercept the suspected pirate vessels and launched three helicopters.

The two suspected pirate vessels then fled the scene.

M/V Gem of Kilakari reported one grenade landed on the ship's bridge wing during the attack, but failed to detonate. No injuries were reported. Explosive ordnance personnel from the 15th MEU are currently assisting the M/V Gem of Kilakari in an effort to defuse the unexploded grenade. The merchant vessel was reportedly traveling towards the Suez Canal when the attack took place in the Gulf of Aden.

USS Peleliu is the flag ship of the Peleliu Strike Group and the 15th MEU which is currently deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to conduct MSO. MSO help develop security in the maritime environment, which promotes stability and global prosperity. These operations complement the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

Index For This Feature:  

USS Peleliu (LHA 5)

Wikipedia

15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Official Site

Somali Pirate SmackDown - USS Porter - Oct. 2007

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American Airlines Flight 31 Evacuates Her Passengers On Inflatable Emergency Chutes

While The First A-380 Commercial Flight To LAX -- Emerites Air -- Berths -- To Right of Screen

All of This Takes Place Under Our Windows & Captured On Our LAX Web Cam #2 - "Across The Pacific"

From The Cargo Letter - Aug. 5 2008

American Airlines Flight 31 to Honolulu, carrying 150 passengers & 7 crew, took off on Aug. 5 from LAX at 8:48 a.m. -- but the Boeing 757 turned back for LAX after the pilot reported the smoke in the aircraft.

The Boeing 757 made an over water approach to LAX, opposite to the traffic pattern at the time.

Flight 31 made an emergency landing about 9:30 a.m. & was evacuated at Los Angeles International Aiport.

The Law Offices of Countryman & McDaniel alerted to this emergency & trained our LAX Web Cams on the incident. The scenes shown above & below are from our LAX Web Cams -- which you are invited to view every day in real time.

All 157 people on board had evacuated by sliding down inflatable emergency chutes as Los Angeles Fire Department units surrounded the aircraft on the tarmac. No smoke or flames could be seen. There were no injuries. L.A. firefighters were using thermal imaging equipment but did not detect a fire on the aircraft.

Television images showed the passengers evacuating the plane by sliding down inflatable emergency chutes -- a rare event at LAX

The Los Angeles Fire Department said two minor injuries have been reported among the 7 crew &150 passengers onboard.

L.A. Firefighters were already on the tarmac to assist with the evacuation of Flight 31 -- because LAX had previously turned out to greet the first commercial airline visit of the A-380 aircraft of Emerates Air to the U.S. West Coast. A prio the A-380 aircraft visited on behalf of Airbus.

Our LAX Web Cam #1 - "Cargo City" -- Captures Departure of The Emerates Air A-380

Under our Countryman & McDaniel Windows on Runway 25-Left.

August 5 2008 Was Not Just Another Day At The Office! But No Day Is!

From The Cargo Letter - Aug. 5 2008

Emirates Airlines today invited travel industry and city officials to check out its version of the Airbus A-380 at LAX.

The 489-seat aircraft, the largest passenger plane in the world, landed at Los Angeles International Airport around 10 a.m., shortly after a American Airlines Flight 31 made an emergency landing.

Fire crews that had been awaiting the plane's arrival scrambled to the scene of the 757 landing, which left Airbus without the water-cannon salute it had been expecting on arrival.

About 200 to 250 invited guests were given a two-hour "familiarization" flight -- which is code for "cocktail party" -- aboard the A-380. The plane remained at LAX overnight before heading back to New York.

"The A380 familiarization flights will give guests from San Francisco & Los Angeles a chance to feel and experience the new aircraft as well as learn more about Emirates' world-class amenities and comforts," Nigel Page, senior vice president of commercial operations for Emirates Airlines, said last month in announcing the flight.

Emirates Airlines will begin service between LAX and Dubai on Oct. 1. The airline is not currently slated to operate an A-380 out of LAX.

Index For This Feature:  

Los Angeles International Airport

Video of Amererian Airlines Evacuation Under Our Windows

Airbus A-380

Wikipedia

Boeing 757

Emirates Airlines

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It Was 1970 And People Waited In Line For Hours On Hollywood Blvd.& Other Streets Across America

They Wanted To Be Among The First To See The First Blockbuster Movie "Airport" -- The First Big Hollywod Disaster Movie In History

"Airport" Stared Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Helen Hayes, George Kennedy & others. It Earned Over US$100M In 1970 Dollars!

A Key Moment of The "Airport" Movie Is When George Kennedy Opines As The Aircraft Expert --

--To Burt Lancaster As The Airport Execututive --

-- That The Boeing 707 Fuselage Can Likely Withstand The Bomb Planted By A Mad Bomber.

Can The Aircraft Survive An Explosion & Loss Of Pressure At 30,000 Feet?

This Same Question Is Now Posesd On July 25 2008 For Qantas Flight QF30.

Editor Note:

In the 38 years since the movie "Airport" we don't recall such an event as that of Qantas Flight QF30. Cargo doors have failed, but not hulls, except the Aloha Airlines incident for reasons other than explosion. Aircraft do not usually survive a major explosion & decompression at 30,000 feet.

An explosion has now blown an automobile sized hole through the hull of a Boeing 747-400 at 30,00 feet! The movie for this would be "Airport 2008".

Survival alone for Flight QF30 - would be a movie!

The 1970 Movie "Airport" Concludes When Cigar Chopping George Kennedy Slaps The Boeing 707 Hull And States ........

"Nice Going -- Sweetheart!"

........ Because The Boeing 707 Of The 1970's Has Survived The Bomb Blast At 30,000 Feet& Returned Her Passengers & Crew To Earth.

But Here In Real Present Time -- Captian John Bartels of Qantas Reprises The George Kennedy Role As He Inspects His Flight QF30.

So Again ---

"Nice Going -- Sweetheart!"

From The Cargo Letter - July 25 2008  

A passenger plane en route from London to Melbourne has made an emergency landing in the Philippines after a large hole appeared in its fuselage. Qantas Airways said its Boeing 747-400, with 346 passengers and 19 crew, diverted to Manila shortly after leaving Hong Kong and landed safely. Engineers are investigating what caused the hole - about 2.5m to 3m in diameter - which led to cabin pressure problems. An airport official said passengers looked scared & some were sick.

Airport authority spokesman Octavio Lina said part of the flooring near the affected section gave way, exposing some of the cargo below, and part of the ceiling also collapsed. "Upon disembarkation, there were some passengers who vomited. You can see in their faces that they were really scared," he said.

Passengers described hearing a large bang and feeling a rush of wind and debris through the cabin about an hour after Flight QF30 left Hong Kong at 0900 local time (0100 GMT).

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the aircraft made an emergency descent from 29,000ft to 10,000ft. It said initial information indicated that a section of the fuselage had separated in the area of the forward cargo compartment.

WHY QF30 DESCENDED 20,000FT -- Planes are pressurised as cruising altitudes are freezing and lack sufficient oxygen to breathe. The hole causes decompression, rapidly reducing air pressure and risking exposure. Oxygen masks were deployed and pilot makes emergency descent to breathable altitude. The pilot then told passengers they were going to land in Manila to have a look at the damage.

Passengers reported seeing items flying out of the aircraft.

Dr David Newman, of Flight Medicine Systems, says forcing the plane into a rapid descent after a sudden loss of pressure is a standard emergency procedure. He says that when cruising, the internal cabin is pressurised to a much lower altitude than outside the aircraft, which is also extremely cold.

The flight, which had been due to arrive in Melbourne at 1145 GMT, landed in Manila just after 0300 GMT (1100 local time ).

Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said engineers were investigating what might have caused the hole in the fuselage. He said Qantas had provided all passengers with accommodation and a replacement aircraft had been arranged.

Qantas boasts of never having lost a jet.

Update From The Cargo Letter - July 26 2008

An oxygen cylinder is missing from the Qantas 747-400 jumbo that was forced to make an emergency landing after a mid-air explosion punched a hole in its fuselage, an Australian investigator said in Manila. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is investigating whether an exploding oxygen container was responsible for ripping a jagged hole in the fuselage of flight QF30 from London to Melbourne July 25.

"It is too early to say whether this was the cause of the explosion," Neville Blyth from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) told a media briefing in Manila. "But one of the cylinders which provides back up oxygen is missing." The oxygen cylinder is roughly the size of a diver's scuba tank.

Meanwhile, Blyth told the conference investigators had found no sign a bomb caused the hole. He said tests for bomb residue were negative and Philippine officials had bomb-sniffing dogs go through the hold, finding no indication of explosives.

Editor Note:

The Queensland And Northern Territories Air Service (Qantas) Has Never Lost An Aircraft.

Qantas Flight QF30 could easily have been an absolute catastrophe. This was surely a miracle flight.

Most of the passengers claimed their luggage at Baggage Carousel 7 at Ninoy Aquino Int'l Airport, Manila --- while others were directed to an ocean search area off Cebu.

"Remind me to send a thankyou note to Mr. Boeing." -- The closing "Airport" movie line of actor Barry Sullivan rings true today.

These Passengers of Qantas Flight QF30 have no idea how lucky they were. Thanks Mr. Boeing.

Your Editor Michael S. McDaniel

Index For This Feature:

Qantas

Qantas Flight QF30 - videdo from the actual event

More Video

Airpot 1970 - the movie

Movie Title Sequence & Main Theme - music by Alfred Newman -- don't miss these video clips

Airport Opening Theme - music only - have good speakers

Airport Love Theme

Movie Trailer - Airport - the story

Airport - fan trailer - the better one - see the explosion

George Kennedy & The Boeing 707-300 - will he clear the runway of the stuck B-707 aircraft -- before the bombed & disabled B-707 has to land?

George Kennedy

Ending Titles & "Nice Going -- Sweetheart!" - dealing with a large hole in the plane

Boeing 747-400

Ninoy Aquino Int'l Airport

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The Mexican Navy Intercepts Columbian Drug Submarine

Mexican Special Forces Waited Until The Vessel Surfaced Before Rappelling From Helicopters

From The Cargo Letter - July 18 2008

Mexico's drug wars sank to new depths July 17 2008, as the Mexican Navy announced it had seized a submarine that was transporting cocaine off the southern coast. The navy intercepted the 33-foot vessel about 125 miles south of Puerto de Salina Cruz in Oaxaca state.

Jose Luis Vergara, a navy spokesman, said in a radio interview that Mexican Special Forces waited until the vessel surfaced before rappelling from helicopters and overpowering the four-man crew. Vergara called the submarine bust unprecedented for the Mexican Navy.

"There were a lot of packages," he said. "It appears to be cocaine."

The Mexican authorities arrested the 4 Colombian crew claiming to be fishermen forced by drug cartels to move the cargo and drop it off on the Mexican shores. The sub left the Colombian port of Buenaventura about a week before.

The Mexican Navy provided no information on the identities or nationalities of the suspects. Colombian authorities have captured more than a dozen such vessels over the last couple of years. Law enforcement experts say the homemade subs are becoming ever more sophisticated. Meanwhile, Mexico's drug wars claimed another high-ranking law enforcement official.

U.S. officials say that traffickers frequently use vessels to smuggle 32% of the cocaine from South America to the U.S. These boats are capable of carrying more than 10 tons of cocaine and can be controlled by a remote control from hundreds of miles away. U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr.Thad Allen, told reporters in Washington on July 18, that the boats costing about US$1M each, are usually painted to blend in with the color of the water.

Salomon Diaz, a Sinaloa State Police Commander, was shot dead by suspected drug gang hit men in the troubled western state, where more than 300 people have died in drug-related violence this year.

Mexican Navy Special Forces (F.R.A. - Forces of Amphibious Reaction) Inspect Submarine Seized In Salina Cruz Port In Oaxaca. The 10-Meter-Long Submarine Was Carrying Cocaine And Is An Example of The Growing Sophistication of Drug Smugglers. "It's Not A Military Submarine, It's 10 Meters [33 Feet] Long And From What We Know They're Made In The Colombian Jungle To Carry Drugs," Said Navy Spokesman Capt. Benjamin Mar After The Vessel Was Intercepted.

Index For This Feature:

Mexican Navy

Mexican Navy Special Ops Forces (Video)

Salina Cruz Port

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M/V Princess of The Stars In Better Days

Editor Note:

M/V Princess of The Stars

Built:1984

Vessel Type: Ocean Ferry

Gross Tons: 23,824 tons

Passenger Capacity: 1,992 souls

Prayers Off The Coast of Sibuyan Island, The Philippines, 23 June 2008

At 23,824 Tons, The Term "Ferry" is Misleading For M/V Princess of the Stars

Another Major Disaster At Sea Is Known Only To The Few, The Grieving

From The Cargo Letter - June 23 2008

ALERT>>23,824-ton Philippine ferry M/V Princess of the Stars, Manila for Cebu with more than 800 passengers and crew, capsized in Typhoon Fengshen on June 21. 13 bodies recovered, 38 people are confirmed rescued. Hundreds are missing, feared killed. Philippine Coast Guard divers who rapped on the hull heard no signs of life and rough seas were hampering search efforts. A U.S. Navy ship is assisting rescue efforts. Rescue teams will likely drill holes in the hull in search of potential survivors within the overturned vessel. The hull bottom remains exposed out of the water. Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo, has demanded an explanation as to why the ferry was allowed to leave port despite imminent typhoon warnings. The vessel is operated by Sulpicio Lines and voyage is generally 22 hours. (Mon. June 23 2008).

The United States responded by donating US$90,000 (about 4 million Philippine pesos) and sent the USNS Fred W. Stockham and a P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft to contrubute to the rescue.

Teams Drill Holes In The Hull In Search of Potential Survivors - No Success

The Terror & Panic Must Have Been Intense As Typhoon Fengshen Capsized M/V Princess of the Stars

Still, There Would Be Neither Help Nor Rescue For The 849 Passengers & Crew

Passengers & Crew Aboard: 849

Survivors: 48

Confirmed Dead: 70

Missing & Presumed Dead: More Than 750

Public Announcement From Sulpicio Lines

"We have lost our good ship, M/V Princess of the Stars, the crown jewel in our fleet, and some of our best crew. But more than these, we have lost valued passengers without whose patronage the company would not have been where it is today. Even as we grieve and continue to mourn the loss of priceless human lives, we must now match that grief with decisive action to directly address the plight of the victims and their loved ones to ease their suffering.

Mindful, likewise, of the deep concern shown by our president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for the victims and their families and her desire that their plight be alleviated by concrete actions, Sulpicio Lines, Inc. has decided to cast aside legal technicalities and waive the waiting period of one year within which missing passengers will be compensated. Instead, the legal heirs of ALL VICTIMS LISTED IN THE PASSENGER MANIFEST will be paid the amount of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos regardless of whether the bodies have been recovered or are still missing, and regardless of whether the bodies have been identified or not up to this time.

We therefore invite the next of kin or legal heirs of every passenger-victim (casualties) listed in the PASSENGER MANIFEST to fill up A CLAIM FORM which can be obtained from our Manila office at Pier 12, North Harbor, Manila or from our Cebu office at Reclamation Area, Cebu City, and submit this to either office, together with the following supporting documents (original copy):

1. Birth Certificate and Marriage Contract of victims;

2. Birth Certificate and Marriage Contract of claimant/s;

3. Valid cedula and government ID of the claimant/s;

4. Voter's ID of the victim and claimant/s (if available or deemed necessary);

5. Affidavit of relationship of the claimant/s to the victim;

6. Death Certificate (if available).

There is no need to hire the services of a lawyer because the claims will be acted upon with dispatch and with as simple documentation as possible.

The PASSENGER MANIFEST is posted in conspicuous places at the office of Sulpicio Lines, Inc. in Manila and Cebu.

Human life is so precious that no money value can be attached to it.

But this is the least that we can do to show how deeply we commiserate with the victims of this unfortunate event, a tragedy that nobody wanted to happen, least of all Sulpicio Lines.

We would like to thank the NGOs, the PNRC, DSWD, DSWS, NDCC, NBI, DOTC and Marina, DOH, LGUs most especially the Cebu City Government, PN divers, PN, PNP and AFP, US Navy, Philippine Coast Guard auxiliary and most especially the Philippine Coast Guard for their invaluable assistance.

This announcement shall not be construed as an admission of liability on the part of Sulpicio Lines, Inc.

May Almighty God bless us all."

Sulpicio Lines -- July 1 2008

Index For This Feature:

M/V Princess of the Stars

Sulpicio Lines

M/V Princess of the Stars

M/V Princess of the Stars Video Tribute

S/S Andrea Doria

Wikipedia Back To Top

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From The Cargo Letter - June 1 2008

Following The Doctrine of "Ship Happens" -- Former Italian Air Force Officer & Journalist David Cenciotti Captured This Amazing Photo At The Moment of Crisis.

"An NH90 helicopter, serialled MM81519 EI-202 of the 1 Gr Sq of the Italian Army based in Viterbo crashed on June 1, in the Bracciano Lake at 15.15L causing the death of Capt. Filippo Fornassi.

"The other 2 POB (People On Board) were rescued and survived the injuries. The aircraft was at the end of its display in the Ali Sul Lago Airshow in front of the Italian Air Force Museum, at Vigna di Valle airport.

"I was attending the show when I saw the helicopter performing a fiesler maneuver with an apex at low altitude: as soon as the aircraft's nose was diving towards the lake, I understood that the pilot could not recover the chopper before touching the water. The aircraft touched the surface of water and broke up in many pieces before ditching."

While The Miitary Is Noted For 100% Maintenance -- Any Transport Mode Is Always Subject To The Doctrine of "Ship Happens".

Thus, Our Continuing Warning To Shippers -- Is To Always Secure High Qaulity American Cargo Insurance For Any Cargo Movement.

McD

Index For This Feature:

Youtube Video of This Tragedy

Ali Sul Lago Airshow

NH90 Helicopter

Bracciano Lake

Towns On Lake Bracciano

Website of David Cenciotti - full coverage of the crash

David's Tribute To The F-104 - our favorite fighter- "The Missle With A Man In It"

Contributor For This Feature:

Our "Doc" -- Who Has Brouight Us Many Features Over The Many Years -- But Must Be Anonymous

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The Merlin Takes An Ungracious Bow To The Queen. The Aircraft Almost Dunked For Her

Royal Navy HMS Illustrious, And One of Her Agusta Westland EH101 Merlin Helicopters Came Close To The Brink On 16 May 2008.

HMS Illustrious Was Docked At Istanbul, Turkey For A Visit of Elizabeth II, Queen of England.

The Helicopter Was About To Be Towed Across The Flight Deck.

The Tug Vehicle Accidentally Was Put Into Reverse.

Helicopter Brakes Did Not Hold Both Aircraft & Tug Vehicle.

The Tug Is Now At The Bottom of Istanbul Harbor.

The Tug Operator Took To The Railing Safety Net Upon Tug departure.

Alleged Flight Deck Supervisor Yelling To The Tug Operator:

"Blimey, Bob, The "R" Don't Stand For "Race!"

Index For This Feature:

HMS Illustrious

HMS Illustrious

AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin

U.S. Merlin

Contributor For This Feature:

Our "Doc" -- Who Has Brouight Us Many Features Over The Many Years -- But Must Be Anonymous

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Kalitta Air B-747-F In Three Pieces -- They All Walked Away

From The Cargo Letter - May 26 2008

An American owned & operated Boeing 747 freighter crashed as it took off at Brussels airport on May 25. and broke apart, but the 5 American crew escaped without injury. The jumbo jet came to rest at the end of the runway some 500 yards from housing in the Brussels suburb of Zaventem after the crash, which occurred at 1130 GMT.

The plane broke into three pieces, and stopped just meters short of electricity power cables.

The massive four-engined jet belonged to Kalitta Air.

Belgian TV reported that the plane was carrying diplomatic baggage belonging to the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, including an automobile & papers. The U.S. embassy in Brussels has not commented.

The plane was bound for the Gulf state of Bahrain, according to another airport official, Jan Van der Cruysse.

"It seems that the plane must have suddenly left the runway as it was attempting take-off, and crashed. It was perhaps a technical problem, but we don't know," airport spokeswoman Tru Lefevre said.

"There are no injuries even though the five people on board have been taken to hospital," Lefevre added, noting that one of them was in a state of shock.

A yellow escape chute could be seen emerging from the fuselage.

Brussels airport is situated about 15 kilometres (10 miles) from the Belgian capital.

Based in Michigan, and named after the owner Conrad Kalitta, Kalitta Air was founded in 2000 and has 18 Boeing 747s.

Index For This Feature:

Kalitta Air

Kalitta Air

Brussels

Brussels Intlernational Airport

Zaventem

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273-foot barge ITB-270 With Gravel Was Being Loaded Along The Duwamish River At The Ash Grove Cement Co. Terminal, Harbor Island, 4pm on May 2 2008

ITB-270 Suddenly Broke In Half. One Crew Aboard Was Rescued.

ITB-270 Settled In Shallow Water Off Harbor Island.

The Barge Is Owned By Island Tug and Barge.

"It's always concerning when a vessel buckles like that, or a barge buckles like that. It's not supposed to happen."

Petty Officer Michael Donaldson - U.S. Coast Guard

Index For This Feature:

Ash Grove Cement Co.

Island Tug and Barge

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Home Wit A Hole At Independence, Louisiana

A Fairly Innocuous Sight ..... Unless.......

Unless .... You Are Standing Under The Missle At Target Zero on 4 April 2007

The Launched Cylinder Pack From A GE Transportation Systems 45° V16 Engine

From Our Contributor - April 3 2008

"On April 4 2007, Canadian National Railroad Locomotive Number 2699 experienced a catastrophic cylinder failure while operating at Independence La.

"These pictures show the locomotive and the cylinder pack that was ejected from the prime mover -- and through the body of the locomotive.

"The cylinder piston was ejected so violently from the cylinder pack that it traveled through the air & crashed through the roof of a nearby home where it embedded itself in an interior wall."

Our "Doc"

Stock Picture of Canadian National Railroad Locomotive Number 2699

From Our Contributor - April 3 2008

"This incident was confirmed to me personally by a Canadian National Railway Engineer whom I trust implicitly. I do not know the name of the photographer.

"I reminded said Engineer of the USAF F117 Stealth Fighter that accidentally dropped two practice bombs, one on a house in Monahans, TX about ten years back, the other out in the middle of nowhere New Mexico. I guess the Canadians are showing us that their technology can whack a house as good as ours can. Perhaps the Canadian Armed Forces will deploy GE locomotive engines on their next UN peacekeeping force."

Our "Doc"

From Cargo Law

We at Cargo Law receive many stories & pictures each day from around the world -- many hard to believe. But when our "Doc" sends material, we accept the proven honor & technical insights of this great friend. "Doc" never fails to educate & amuse

Most of our features for you deal with the dangers of ships & aircraft in far away destinations -- but all modes of transportation carry inherent dangers with them each day as a part of the cargo itself. Still, I received three new lawsuits just today where shippers sustained major damage to their cargo -- but had no cargo insurance.

In a world where all carriers, in all modes of transportation limit their liability as a matter of public policy -- to not have cargo insurance -- is just plain stupid.

Your Editor - Michael S. McDaniel - 3 April 2008

From Our Reader - 7 April 2008

G'day,

Just to correct your correspondent "Doc", who I have no doubt is a trusted and great source, the GE locomotive in question is actually built in the good ol' U S of A! Always have been. The Canadians built great locomotives for decades. Maybe they still should!

Love the site. Keep up the good work.

All the best from down under,

Craig Lisa - Australia

From Cargo Law

I think Doc may has misspoken when he refered to "Canadian technology" since this a U.S. built unit. But it is operated by Canadian National Railway.

To be bit more nostalgic -- what we really miss is the Electro-Motive Division of Genenerl Motors -- whose railroad diesel-electreic engines made the U.S. famous!

Your Editor - Michael S. McDaniel - 3 April 2008

Canadian National Railroad Locomotive Number 2699
Builder GE Transportation Systems Model Dash 9-44CW AAR wheel arr. C-C Gauge 4 ft 81Ú2 in (1,435 mm) Trucks GE HiAd Wheel diameter 42 in (1.07 m) Length 73 ft 2 in (22.30 m) Width 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) Height 15 ft 10 in (5.03 m) Total weight 394,000 lb (179,000 kg)	Fuel capacity 5,000 US gal (18,900 L) Prime mover GE 7FDL16 Engine type 45° V16, four stroke cycle Aspiration turbocharged Alternator GE GMG197 Traction motors GE 5GE752AH Transmission Alternator, silicon diode rectifiers, DC traction motors Power output 4,400 hp (3,300 kW) Locale North America

From Our Reader - Where The Piston Landed - 18 May 2008

From Our Reader - Where The Piston Landed - 18 May 2008

And here as they say in the news media is the rest of the story. Re. the locomotive that popped a piston and cylinder here is the last photograph of the piston embedded in the wall. The large oil stains are below the piston. That puppy must have been really moving.

Benjamin P. Mc Knew -- Block Watch Director, Riviera Beach MD

Index For This Feature:

Canadian National Railway System

GE Transportations Sytems Rail Fans

Electro-Motive Division of Genenerl Motors

Early History

Sale of Electro-Motive Division - 2005

Contributor For This Feature:

Our "Doc" -- Who Has Brouight Us Many Features Over The Many Years -- But Must Be Anonymous

Benjamin P. Mc Knew

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M/V MSC Sabrina -- Up The Three Rivers Without Three Paddles

From The Cargo Letter - March 16 2008

243 meter Panama-flagged container M/V MSC Sabrina (IMO 8714205), Montreal from France, ran aground in the St. Lawrence River near Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, on Mar. 10. Initial attempts to free the vessel by tug were unsuccessful. Initial reports indicate it could take weeks to free the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - March 21 2008

"The Government of Canada is closely monitoring Panamanian ship M/V MSC Sabrina which ran aground in Trois-Rivières and will study the final lightering plan as soon as it is received. The plan must be prepared by the ship's owner and submitted to Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard for assessment. M/V MSC Sabrina was heading to the Port of Montréal when her southern side struck ground along section 20 of the Port of Trois-Rivières on March 8."

"March 8, 2008. Three refloating attempts were made using a number of tugboats, all to no avail."

From Cargo Law

There can be no doubt that M/V MSC Sabrina is stuck in the mud -- between Monreal & Quebec. Let's hope the mud might at least have medicinal properties. The area has a rich history, which you can read below.

McD

FEATURE ALERT

The quest to save M/V MSC Sabrina has become a major drama --

-- Don't miss our 40 photo feature of the major effort to save M/V MSC Sabrina --

The Cargo Law Faeature For M/V MSC Sabrina

Index For This Feature:

Port of Trois-Rivières - three rivers

Contributors For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor -- Who Has Brouight Us Many Features -- But Must Be Anonymous

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The BMW Autos Aboard Car Carrier M/V Courage - Tumbled When The Vessel Suffered A Hard List

From The Cargo Letter - Jan. 11 2008  

59,000-dwt car carrier M/V Courage listed heavily in the port of New Jersey on Jan. 11. 370 BMW cars were damaged, seventy were lost. M/V Courage had come from Europa with a cargo of 2,000 cars, mainly BMW 1-series, 3-series and M3's. The seriously damaged cars will be destroyed, cars with less damage will be repaired. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Jan 17 2008).

If Your BMW Gets Wet -- Use A Towel -- Not A Tumble Dry

The car carrier M/V Courage tumbled at the port in Jersey City on Jan. 11 causing damage to over 370 BMWs. M/V Courage was loaded with new 3-series and 1-series vehicles, including new M3s. Around 70 of the damaged cars are reported to be total losses with others sustaining major damage. Word is that the M3s bared the majority of the damage.

Extensively damaged cars will be declared a total looss & crushed while those with minor damage will undergo repair at a receiving facility in Elizabeth, NJ, after which they will proceed onto dealers.

Bimmers destined for European delivery customers were also on board, although it's not clear how those buyers will be handled in the wake of the incident.

This is a particularly harsh hit to BMW in terms of the new M3 and even more so for the owners awaiting their new V8-powered uber-coupes. We'd expect this unfortunately event will lead to an extension of the waiting period many potential customers will have to endure. It also means many dealerships are out of luck for a demo car. With the M3's competition coming on strong from the likes of Lexus, Cadillac & Mercedes one can only imagine this sort of setback might steer away a few potential buyers.

Likely due to the transfer of fluids between tanks on the vessel -- this tumble will cost MILLIONS!

Index For This Feature:

BMW M3

Contributors For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor -- Who Has Brouight Us Many Features -- But Must Be Anonymous

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UK Coastguard Helicopter Night Photo - M/V Ice Prince In Distress

From The Cargo Letter - Jan. 14 2008

M/V Ice Prince heading for Alexandria in Egypt -- reported by crew to be rolling heavily in very poor weather, 35 miles SE of Start Point in the English Channel.

A cargo of lumber has shifted.

It is the nature of poorly secured lumber to shift.

It is the nature of shifted lumber to sink vessels.

6,395 ton M/V Ice Prince may capsize.

At 2015 GMT - - 13 Jan. 2008 -- UK Coastguard received word that a 41-year-old Greek crewman "was in need of urgent medical attention after he had broken his leg in the darkness on board the vessel".

RNLI lifeboats from Salcombe and Torbay were launched and the Royal Navy warship HMS Cumberland, which was nearby, offered her assistance and rescued 8 of the crew. Twelve crew lifted by helicopter.

The UK Maritime & Coast Guard Agency said the seas were rough and the winds were up to Force 7, but there were no reports of any cargo being lost.

Lifeboat Crews Operated "at the very limit" To Evacuate The Ship of 20 Crew

All Safe- Off-One-By-One

 For M/V Ice Prince -- The issue Is in Doubt.

Water Is Shipping Over Port Side. The Crew Is Evacuated.

Will She Sink?

From Our Reader -- Jan. 14s 2008

"Are you on to the cargo ship off Portland -- M/V Ice Prince -- abandoned off Portland Bill, English Channel last night Jan. 13 2008? Cargo of timber shifted. As an ex seaman (british Merchant Navy for 44 years) your site is top dollar in everything regarding drama anywhere in the world. May we have many more pics please!!!"

Mr Norman Banks - UK

Norman! We have been watching this Casualty for many hours. Here are your pictures. We post them as fast as they are contributed! We don't think this incident will have a happy result.

Thanks For Your Support!

McD

From The Cargo Letter - Jan. 15 2008 -- M/V Ice Prince Is Gone

M/V Ice Prince sank in 'very rough weather' at 12.45 am, approximately 26 miles off Portland Bill, Dorset, MCA said.

M/V Ice Prince was carrying 5,258 tons of sawn Swedish red zz7 white timber. About 2,000 tons of the cargo was being carried on the deck and a quantity of wood - about 3,000 tons - is still believed to be in the hold.

With all crew members safely taken back to land, the partly-submerged M/V Ice Prince was left drifting at a 40-degree angle and without power.

Mark Criddle, the lifeboat's skipper, said: "Boats don't come with handbrakes and one minute we would be right alongside calling for the crew to jump, the next minute we are five meters below them. Some of them really didn't want to leave the mothership for this tiny lifeboat pitching and rolling in the sea," he added. RNLI said the lifeboat crew was operating "at the very limit" as they battled to evacuate the ship.

In the dark conditions before the lifeboat rescue, one crew member fell in the rolling ship and broke his leg. He was taken to hospital, while the rest of the crew of the Greek-registed ship - none of whom were British - were accommodated in south Devon.

M/V Ice Princ settled about 26 miles (42km) S-SE of Portland Bill, with her stern settling on the sea bed and leaving her bow about 5mt (16ft) out of the water for several hours before she went completely under the waves.

Good Bye M/V Ice Prince. A sad moment.

From The Cargo Letter - Jan. 17 2008 -- M/V Ice Prince - Epilog

At the site of the wreck UK tug M/V Anglian Earl is remaining on scene as a guardship. With 46.8 meters of estimated clearance over the wreck of M/V Ice Prince it is not seen to be a hazard to navigation but a full survey of the wreck site will be carried out today by the Irish Lights vessel 'Graunuaile'. M/V Anglian Earl arrived on scene this morning and will confirm the precise clearance. The Temporary Exclusion Zone of 1000 metres is still in force.

Plans for the recovery of oil and cargo from M/V Ice Prince are being developed by the owners, however the recovery may prove technically difficult. Currently no new timber has surfaced, but a sheen of oil is coming from the wreck and is currently dispersing within3 miles.

Weather on scene is Southwesterly force 8 gales. The weather is not expected to improve until Jan. 20.

The Secretary Of State's Representative for Maritime Intervention and Salvage (SOSREP) continues liaison with the French 'PREFET MARITIME' and the Environment Group continue to monitor the situation. The Salvage Control Unit at Portland MRCC is being suspended until salvage operations on the wreck start.

The Greek Maritime Authority will be responsible for the accident investigation.

Currently the timber is reported to be grouped in rafts, spread over an area 10 miles in length. The bulk of the timber is 22 miles south of Littlehampton. We are conducting regular aerial surveillance to track the timber. The bundles are breaking up into individual pieces, which represent less risk to small vessels. Coastguards continue to broadcast safety warnings to shipping. Smal vessels are also being advised to avoid the area.

Coastguards expect timber may start washing ashore over the next few days, and is likely to stretch along the south coast, eastwardly from Beachy Head. All reports of timber washed ashore will be coordinated by Solent Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC). The owners/insurers have appointed a company called DRS as contractors to arrange for recovery of timber washed ashore. SOSREP has requested provisions are made for at-sea recovery in estuaries and inshore waters.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency Receiver of Wreck has been in discussion with the Police and has authorised them to operate on her behalf.

SOSREP is holding a meeting this afternoon with local authorities and police forces from Hampshire, Sussex and Kent and the Environment Groups in Sussex & Kent are now being briefed.

Timber from M/V Ice Prince, Which Sank Off The Dorset Coast -- Washed Up On Worthing Beach In West Sussex.

From The Cargo Letter - Jan. 21 2008 -- M/V Ice Prince - TIMBER !!!

Beaches along the south coast of England will remain closed indefinitely to prevent looters taking away more than 2,000 tonnes of washed-up timber. The wood, several feet deep on the tide line, is from the Greek-registered Ice Prince which sank about 26 miles (42km) off Dorset after a storm Jan. 15. Beaches along the Sussex coast from Ferring as far east as Hastings have been littered with the timber Dover Coastguard said it was likely more would wash up on Kent's beaches. West Sussex County Council (WSCC) said its beaches, which were the worst affected, would be out of bounds to the public for the foreseeable future. The salvage operation is being carried out by contractors authorized by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

From Our UK Correspondant Ashely Black

Contributors For This Feature:

The Cargo Letter Staff

Mr Norman Banks

Ashely Black

Tony Collins

Charles Emberton

Vaughan Loucks

Hilde Krause

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Dr. Beach Asks: What Vessel Lost This?

THE MYSTERY:

"This beer fermentation tank washed ashore in the Hebrides of Scotland about Dec. 31, 2007.

The tank was manufactured by the Ziemann Company and measures 51 feet long. The container was found by a dog walker on Poll Na Crann beach near Griminish - known as Stinky Bay - west Benbecula in the Western Isles, Scotland.

Though the tank has been much in the news, no one has reported the ship from whence it fell. I wondered if your readers could help unravel this mystery with the circumstances as to the loss as well as where and when it fell overboard."

Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer

Frequent readers of The Cargo Letter know that our pal Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer -- known to his pals as "Dr. Beach" -- is the world's leading scientist studying global open ocean drift patterns. Today, Dr. Beach needs your help to solve a mystery.

What Vessel?

What Cargo?

What Mishap?

SUBMIT YOUR SOLUTION TO THIS MYSTERY ENTERED HERE - What Is The Answer?

Brewing Tower #5587 While Still At Manufacturers Ziemann Company -- Cause of The Mystery

SOLUTIONS FROM OUR READERS __ Another Cargo Law Mystery Is Solved!

From Our Reader _

In response to Dr. Beach's mysterious container found by a Scottish Doggie. It should have some sort of data plate with a manufacturer, lot # or perhaps a serial #. Just contact the manufacturer should who should have a record of who bought it and who the had ship it. If not, I guess the doggie has himself a new hydrant to mark. Seems odd that the Scot's would let anything capable of making beer get away from them. Anyways, I work for the Army's SDDC in Bremerhaven, Germany and I encounter stray containers and equipment from time to time. That's our answer to it. Sadly though, if we don't find the necessary info we do not get to keep it.

SGT Kenton L. Allen - U.S. Army

M/V Normed Bremen -- Dropped The Brewing Tower

From Our Reader _

The brewing tank washed ashore in Benbecula fell off M/V Normed Bremen.

The huge beer fermentation tank which washed ashore on Benbecula is believed to have been lost overboard a ship off France in early December.

A Filippino merchant seaman fell overboard off the 8,407 ton Maltese-flagged M/V Normed Bremen during a storm off Finistere on the west coast of France on December 9th.

Six containers smashed their lashings and were lost overboard near the south west end of the English channel as the vessel navigated a traffic separation scheme. The other five containers were located later but the missing one was tossed north by tidal streams to the Hebrides.

The 27 meter tank is still secured at Stinky Bay to stop it floating away on the high tide. Western Isles Council is in negotiations with insurers P&I North of England over its disposal.

The brewing tower was made by German manufacturers Ziemann Company.

Philip D. Smith Jr. - Centerville, Ohio 

From Cargo Law

No Cargo Law Mystery has ever gone unsolved over the past 13 years! This is a great tribute to the diversity & dedication of our readers.

Thanks to all!

McD

Contributors For This Feature:

Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer

Other Dr. Beach Features

"Overboard With Dr. Beach" - Nov. 2004

Dr. Beach's Mystery Buoy - Jan. 2005

Dr. Curt's Rubber Ducky

Just Ducky

Lost Sea Cargo: Bounty or Junk?

Message In A Bottle - Smithsonian Magazine July 2001

Pacific Toy Spill

Wind Driven Ocean Currents: Shoes, Ships & Rubber Ducks

Curt Ebbesmeyer's Beachcombers' Alert Newsletter - Curt hopes you will E-mail accounts of interesting flotsam to him at his great quarterly newsletter Beachcombers' Alert - concerning all things afloat and beached. You will receive a complimentary copy.

SGT Kenton L. Allen - U.S. Army

Joe Foley

Roger Garside

Alwyn Griffiths

Dave Heselbarth - Project Executive, Bovis Lend Lease, Inc.

John Orsini

Philip D. Smith Jr. - Centerville, Ohio

About The Cargo:

Sword Models Fermentation Tank - scale model of the tank

Preiser Preiser Outdoors/Dock Workers - those are little plastic people in the background, too.

Courtesy Dave Heselbarth - Project Executive, Bovis Lend Lease, Inc.

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