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Superyacht Attessa IV collides with Sportsfishing Party Boat

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by d_meister, Oct 27, 2018.

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  1. Beau, Oct 28, 2018
    #21
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    Starboard indicates to me that the larger boat had the ROW if both vessels were underway? You've made my argument. By you own experience we don't know if the fishing board was "dark" or even perhaps tried to run across the course of the larger vessel. It may very well be the fault of the larger boat, but let's get the facts, I say.... Can anyone out there help us with those?
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2018
  2. Pascal, Oct 28, 2018
    #22
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    never mind. I shouldn’t be posting after a late night and until properly caffeinated!!!
  3. d_meister, Oct 28, 2018
    #23
    d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    We've had very dense patchy fog at night on the coast here in San Diego, including the night of the collision. If it was foggy at the time at the location has not been reported, to my knowledge. The Coast Guard helicopter was on scene approximately 55 minutes after the collision was reported. What the helo's ability to fly in restricted visibility is, I have no idea. There is no AIS listing in Marinetraffic that I could find for the Prowler out of San Diego. It's been reported that the the Prowler was northbound returning from a trip and that Attessa IV was southbound (SSW). Attessa IV's track is currently available on Marinetraffic. They should have been on reciprocal courses, by all reports. It would appear that the Prowler would be headed out to sea at WNW at the apparent point of collision. It's hard to imagine how quickly or in what distance Attessa IV's reported deadweight of 398 tons could be brought to a stop. Sportfishing party boats frequently travel the coast here with all deck lights blazing. I don't know who was at the helm or how many were on watch on Attessa IV, but she travels up and down the entire west coast frequently, so should be aware of the many unlit fishing boats along the coast of Mexico, and would likely be prepared to man a careful watch. The same applies to the crews of the sportfishing boats, of course.
    Ultimately, it's a tragedy for the loss of life, injuries, and the permanent emotional scars left by the collision.
  4. Beau, Oct 28, 2018
    #24
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    We all have great ideas and theories. But I'll beat the drum - lets know the facts. Is there a USCG report available? Like the above, meaning no criticism just an illustration, was the Prowler "returning from a trip" or "headed out to sea". Those seem? to be contradictory statements
  5. RER, Oct 28, 2018
    #25
    RER

    RER Senior Member

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    It will probably take a year for the USCG to investigate and issue a report.

    PROWLER was returning to port to unload a group, immediately reload and turnaround for another fishing trip. There was a group of fisherman waiting at the dock for PROWLER to return.

    PROWLER'S heading would have been close to north straight up. They were not headed to San Diego. Their destination was Mission Bay just up the coast from San Diego Bay, on the other side of Point Loma. Their speed would have been 8 to 10 knots.

    ATTESSA IV which along with the smaller ATTESSA have been in San Diego recently and when ATTESSA IV departed from Point Loma they were on a southwest heading per AIS tracking which would be consistent with beginning a run down the west coast of Baja. Eventually they would have turned to a southeast heading and more or less paralleled the coast. Their speed was 13.1 knots per AIS.

    The boats would have likely crossed in more or less an X pattern.

    Where this collision occurred is a very high traffic area with pleasure and commercial boat traffic as well as a lot of Mexican fishing gear in the water often times being worked by small poorly lit vessels.

    There would have to be a breakdown of operating procedure on the bridge of both vessels for this to happen.
  6. Oscarvan, Oct 28, 2018
    #26
    Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    And of course there is the possibility of last second abrupt course changes to attempt avoidance.....
  7. Capt Ralph, Oct 28, 2018
    #27
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    The blow was not T bone as I first thought. RER has it more correct (X pattern) after looking at the photos. Mid ship hit, crushed the superstructure and peeled the rest of Prowlers stb after side off.
  8. Capt Ralph, Oct 28, 2018
    #28
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Working in fog is a test of nerve. 13 kts may have been a bit much.
    I admit, I'm specking again.
  9. RER, Oct 28, 2018
    #29
    RER

    RER Senior Member

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    Looks like one plank more and PROWLER would have gone down. Prowler.jpg
  10. Capt Ralph, Oct 28, 2018
    #30
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    But her back was not broken as the picture in the hoist.
    The yard or travel lift operator may have totaled that boat after the fact. Never pick up a flooded boat.
  11. Pascal, Oct 28, 2018
    #31
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    One of the most scary encounter i ve had was a few years ago coming into Hyanis Ma in what was pretty much zero vis while the nantucket Hi speed ferry was leaving. I saw him on radar and he obviously saw me too but 20kts outbound in a channel in pea soup is not worth the risk. Especially in a channel that requires a couple of turns.

    I wonder if it was the same guy who put it on the jetty a few months ago...
  12. Capt Ralph, Oct 28, 2018
    #32
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Spine tingle.....
  13. Capt Ralph, Oct 28, 2018
    #33
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Oh, in the offshore pictures, Where is the fog.
    Yes, 55 minutes later first responders were on seen taking pictures and video.
    Fog?
    I can see a near clear moon from a surface camera....
  14. PacBlue, Oct 28, 2018
    #34
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    At this stage, it is hard to predict the visibility at the time of the collision. Fog does move in and out but who knows at the time of the picture.

    It is a miracle that she did not sink with much more loss of life. The shear mass of Attessa is overwhelming compared to Prowler , anything more than a glancing blow would have been disastrous.

    If you look at the bow and Pilothouse of Attessa, The bow is so high above the waterline and the Pilothouse/helm area would lose sight of the vessel once they got close. I imagine your line of sight is not clear until maybe 200 feet from the bow?
  15. German Yachting, Oct 28, 2018
    #35
    German Yachting

    German Yachting Senior Member

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    I can’t say at the time of the collision but as a SD resident, we have had a lot of fog this last week.
  16. Beau, Oct 28, 2018
    #36
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    I'm back... lets get the facts. Doesn't the USCC or DOT issue a preliminary assessment? These are both captains who I assume didn't do this on purpose. Let's not kill their livelihood thru speculation?

    Then there is the guy who told me that I just needed heavier oil....?
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2018
  17. olderboater, Oct 28, 2018
    #37
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Sometimes they will release some information but most of it waits on a finding by the NTSB and their investigations typically take around a year in an accident of this nature. Until then we may pick up bits and pieces but the only thing we really know is that likely there were mistakes made by both, at the very least failing to avoid an accident.
  18. Beau, Oct 28, 2018
    #38
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    Tragedy, I agree. Criminal, I need to know more. Good night you guys! I enjoy visiting this site.
  19. olderboater, Oct 28, 2018
    #39
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    The vast majority of accidents do not involve any criminal act.
  20. Oscarvan, Oct 29, 2018
    #40
    Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    More than anything else this reminds me that when I go back out on the water as a retired old fart in no hurry to get anywhere I will have the luxury of being out there on nice days as much as possible and to avoid reduced vis, night and heavy seas/winds. I will have survived (hopefully, not quite done yet) 36 years of "we're going" 99.9% of the time in the aviation world..... Seen it done it.
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