Passenger killled on cruise ship Marco Polo by freak wave.

[tvtech]

One life lost is one too many...

That does not mean Marko is unseaworthy or anything else....If I had the money I would book a cruise on her too. Stunning Lady that has weathered more storms than most other ships have to still do.....

And survive.

Love her,
tvtech

[Alan Green]

Hi Derek,

Nice letter in the East Anglian Daily Times.

BBC Look East news last night (21.02.14) going overboard about the situation and pulling  negative comments about Marco Polo (and Captain) from the website: Cruise Critic.

Apparently she will now have to undergo more inspections at Tilbury when she returns from her current cruise.

[Clive Harvey]

As for BBC Look East, I don't recall them ever taking a positive spin on any news story. Their reporting in this particular instance lacks any credibility when each time they have covered the story they have said that the Marco Polo was on a 45 day cruise to the Azores. A case of not letting the facts get in the way of a good story.

[davidships]

Sorry Clive but there was no mention of "45" on the programme in question.
Probably only available for a short time:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03vkpwl/Look_East_East_21_02_2014/ (first item)

Suspect that earlier broadcasts may have been intended as "four-to-five" days (for the last leg).  Whether reporter, editor or listener misheard I have no idea.

The whole cruise wasn't far off "45 days" - elsewhere BBC have it as "42 nights", which is exactly what the brochure says.
5/1/2014 sailed Tilbury, 7/1 sailed Amsterdam
15/2 arrived Tilbury (one day early?), 17/2 arrived Amsterdam

No doubt the ship is generally well-found.  She has indeed had clean port state inspections in Brazil (20/1/14), St John's [Antigua? apart from one working time records matter](15/11/13), Tilbury (26/7/13), Sortland (10/3/13).  However, such inspections do not, and cannot, inspect everything.

I don't think that past complainants about leaking windows in the restaurant and cabins were likely to be lying.  If I paid up to

[FWE]

I understand that large cabin windows on the Marco Polo also gave way in a storm at the start of the 42 day voyage from which she was recently returning assumed as the repaired cabin windows shown on some photos on Deck 9 per deck plans and leading to those cabins being evacuated.

The five restaurant windows reported as broken through or damaged in the recent incident are amidships much lower down on Deck 7 per deck plans in the blue section of the hull not as shown in some press reports. Seals and frames can be a weak point ie compared to the steel and glass and may face several tons of force if hit by a large wave.

The deck plans are on https://www.cruiseandmaritime.com/ship/marco-polo/deck-plans and the earlier and recent incident is told by a police officer on board http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plymouth-couple-tell-cruise-ship-storm-death/story-20648578-detail/story.html  . The item on Look East last night confirmed that in view of this and earlier incidents the MCA and Bermuda MA will re-inspect her when next at Tilbury on 2 March

It is unclear where the most recent incident occurred (?) or if was necessary due to traffic separation rules for the ship to take a heading that may have left her badly positioned against the sea. Notwithstanding this if so it would be possible for a ship to ask for permission to take a alternative course due to the risk from the sea conditions.

However freak or unusual conditions were forecast and so a freak wave or waves may occur it is also unclear if having come direct from the Azores there was any prior opportunity to shelter. The inspections on 2 March should hopefully provide assurance that all frames and or seals are intact.

[Captain Ted]

@ EWE
Forget about asking the traffic guys (VTS) to change course contrary to separation zone
I witnessed and also overheard a Masters request at Ushant to change course because
his cargo was seemingly moving  and the French VTS refused his request and virtually threatened the Master with sending out the Coast Guard and detain the vessel.
VTS's were invented for protecting the coast lines and not for helping ships. Not even in
emergencies. I had my own dose of it 2 years ago on the Rio la Plata from the Montevideo
VTS. They threatened me with arrest in case I would drop anchor.
It is known by now in most of the shipping the last who helps you is the coastal state involved and/or their VTS/CG,s



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It is unclear where the most recent incident occurred (?) or if was necessary due to traffic separation rules for the ship to take a heading that may have left her badly positioned against the sea. Notwithstanding this if so it would be possible for a ship to ask for permission to take a alternative course due to the risk from the sea conditions.

However freak or unusual conditions were forecast and so a freak wave or waves may occur it is also unclear if having come direct from the Azores there was any prior opportunity to shelter. The inspections on 2 March should hopefully provide assurance that all frames and or seals are intact.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[FWE]

I have not been able to ascertain where this incident occurred and if in UK or French or other waters although press coverage is vague it appears from some reports it may have been in the South Western Approaches to the Channel ie possibly French not British waters?

If in British waters we will see investigations by the MCA, the Flag State (Bermuda), the UK Marine Accidents Investigation Branch (MAIB), the UK Police and the Classification Society (DNV)(eg if a structural failure) and also a Coroners Inquiry drawing on these reports . It is possible the outcome may influence cruise ship design (noting the tendency to large windows in relatively low deck levels)and inspection regimes as frames and seals are the weakest point compared to the steel and glass and force may be several tonnnes.  

[FWE]

Notwithstanding the role of other agencies eg UK MCA etc etc the UK Marine Accident Investigations Branch have now clarified the position of the ship at the time of the incident as not in UK waters and their role as follows "The fatal accident involving a British passenger on board the Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Marco Polo is to be the subject of a safety investigation by the Bahamas Maritime Authority. Although the accident, which happened on 14 February in heavy weather off the north-west coast of France, involved a foreign-flagged ship and was not in its territorial waters, the United Kingdom has declared itself to be a "substantially interested state" under International Maritime Organization arrangements and will be kept informed of the progress of the investigation. As posted 22 Feb on their web page http://maib.gov.uk/latest_news/marco_polo.cfm which they will presumably update in due course

[FWE]

It appears (without inference) the large (restaurant) windows that collapsed (visible in the lower ie  blue section of the hull) were not a feature of the original design of the then Alexandr Pushkin or sisters eg Mikhail Lermontov but appear to have been incorporated later.