Boat accident

Why a boat or ship may sink

While cruise ships account for only a small percentage of the sea vessels that sink every year, it is believed that tens of thousands of boats sink each year. Many of the boats that sink are docked, but a lot of them sink at sea, from ferry boats to freighters to sailboats and yachts, and yes, even cruise ships occasionally sink.

One of the most common reasons a ship or boat can run afoul is due to navigational errors – simply put, this means the boat strikes an immovable object like a rocky island, a shallow reef, an ice pack, anything large enough to do damage to the boat’s hull (the body of the boat) and cause the boat to take on water. Cruise ships typically have highly sophisticated and highly reliable navigational systems, but even the most sophisticated electronic system can fail at times.

While Mother Nature likely has the first say in whether a small boat like a yacht, a ferry, or sail boat sinks, these smaller boats can also sink for a variety of reasons including low transoms, faulty drain plugs, cooling system leaks, and more.

What if the cruise ship you are travelling on starts to sink?

The standard evacuation signal is seven short horn blasts followed by one long horn blast. This indicates the captain and crew are telling you to start evacuating. The primary goal of any emergency evacuation is the safe and prompt removal of passengers and crew from the sinking boat.

1-First and foremost, it’s critical to stay calm and remember your evacuation drill. All cruise ships and many of the commercial sailing operators will deliver a briefing at the start of your trip telling you exactly how to behave and what to do during an evacuation. On a larger boat, it’s even more important to stay calm because panic can cause people to stampede and injure other passengers. Remember, larger boats take longer to sink, so there is more time. Stay calm.

2-Avoid the elevators completely as electrical systems may fail, and use the stairs. Focus your efforts on finding the quickest route to the lifeboats.

3-If the boat begins to tilt, it can make navigating the passageways confusing and difficult. Use the available handrails and watch for objects that may be loose and start to slide. If you are in the path of a sliding object, use the larger, fixed objects as added protection by positioning yourself behind them.

4-Put on your life jacket, secure the life jackets of those near you, and get to the lifeboats as promptly as possible. The International Maritime Organization requires that all cruise ships be able to get passengers in lifeboats and lowered into the water within 30 minutes of their gathering on deck. The typical crew on a cruise ship practices this a number of times, so it’s important to rely on crew and captain instructions.

Ferry accident

Common Ferry Boat Accidents

Experts at the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association say somewhere between 800 and 1,000 die in ferry accidents annually. Although major catastrophes rarely occur in Texas, residents and visitors could be injured aboard these transportation vessels. Many factors may contribute to a ferry boat accident, but usually they are caused due to another person’s negligence.

Common causes of ferry boat accidents include:

Mechanical failure – A boat that is not properly maintained has the potential to harm passengers as well

as crew members.
Overloaded vessels – The Galveston Ferry is strong enough to ship 18-wheelers across the Gulf. However, the slightest miscalculation in total weight of the boat could trigger a capsize event.
Improper maintenance – Faulty railing can be a major contributor to overboard accidents.
Adverse weather conditions – Although ferries are critical to getting residents to safety in the event of a hurricane, those same wind speeds and relentless rain could cause a vessel to crash.
Operating under the influence – Whether on land or at sea, drinking and driving is a dangerous offense, punishable by law. Extensive injury, drowning and property damage is an avoidable consequence of operating a boat while intoxicated.

Staying Safe on the Ferry

One of the ways you can decrease your safety risk when riding on a ferry is by following the ferry rules established by the Department of Transportation. Some rules seem obvious, such as turning off the engine and setting the parking brake. Others, such as which part of the deck you can feed the seagulls from, are not.

Rules vary slightly from port to port, but general safety tips include:

No smoking aboard the ferry
No littering or throwing trash overboard
Always accompany small children on the ferry deck
Do not sit on the rails of the vessel
Always follow the directions of the deck hands when driving onto the ferry
Do not tamper with the lifesaving equipment
A full list of rules for all ferries can be found on the Department of Transportation website.

Each ferry is equipped with personal floatation devices for passengers. If an emergency should happen while onboard, it’s imperative that you follow the directions of the captain and crew. An unruly passenger behaving recklessly could be barred from riding the ferry and possibly prosecuted.

Here are some videos from Youtube that show you how it looks like.

Credit to the owner of the video