Author Topic: Tug Flying Phantom capzised  (Read 11042 times)

Offline Jens Heri

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Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« on: December 21, 2007, 05:12:36 PM »
The accident happened on Wedneday on the river Clyde.

The tug capsized after it ran aground while towing a cargo vessel.  

Only 1 of a crew of 4 survived.

here a picture from better days courtesy of Ross Aitken
http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=406952

Offline Ben

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2007, 06:02:46 PM »
A very very sad bit of news indeed.  The Skipper Stephen is a member of Tugtalk.com and is one of the 3 missing.

My support goes out to everybody involved in the operation and those family's involved.
Regards
Ben
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Offline henrycourt

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2007, 07:25:30 PM »
I am but a humble ship-spotter but my deepest thoughts are with the survivor and the families of the missing men from the "Flying Phantom" tragedy. I am trying to get my head round what on earth could have happened !!! If reports I've read so far are correct the tug was deemed aground before the capsize took place. If this is so the only theory I can think of at the moment is that when the towing line parted or was parted the tension therein was somehow involved in the capsizing of the tug. Perhaps there is out there a Senior Tugman  who could kindly put forward another theory.  I would be very interested to hear of further theories.

Offline Ross Aitken

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2007, 10:28:43 PM »
Lots of speculation up here at the moment regarding the capsizing. The main theory being that the tow line failed to disengage when requested to do so as the 'Flying Phantom' was the lead tug in the towing of the Bulk Carrier 'Red Jasmine'.

There is an useasy rumour that the 'Red Jamsime' actually dragged the 'Flying Phantom' and capsized it, the thick fog & possible tow line disengagement problem playing crucial part. Then there is the talk of whether it ran aground or not as where it is lying there seems to be ample clearance, but this takes it back to the above theory that if it did run aground, the Red Jasmine could have dragged it clear for a short distance before capsizing it and the tow line snapping.

Again, this is all media frenzy being quoted and it could be some time before the proper facts are known. Some of the media have not even managed to get it's name right either as initial reports were quoting it as the 'Phanton Flyer'.

A sad time for the families of the three missing crew members and my thoughts are with them.

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2007, 08:04:24 PM »
Hi All

The final missing body of the Tug crew was recovered this morning.

"The body of a tug boat captain who died along with two of his crewmates when the vessel capsized in heavy fog has been recovered.

Stephen Humphreys, 33, from Greenock, was pulled out of the submerged Flying Phantom.
Dense fog hampered initial rescue attempts when the vessel sank near Clydebank College

The bodies of his colleagues Robert Cameron, 65, and Eric Blackley, 57, were earlier removed from the River Clyde.

Prayers were said today for the three men and their families at church services in Greenock.

Dense fog hampered initial rescue attempts when the vessel sank near Clydebank College.

A fourth crew member, Brian Aitchison, 37, from Coldingham in the Scottish Borders, was rescued by a passing boat as he swam towards shore after the tug sank."

Regards

Steve Ellwood

Offline Charles McAllister

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2007, 05:40:18 PM »
Prayers and all good thoughts to the families of those who perished.  

This is a sad reminder that, while the professionalism of tugmen makes it look easy sometimes, there is always danger for a small vessel whose job it is to operate in close proximity to much larger ships and barges.  Routine operations can go wrong quickly, and usually the ship in most danger is the tug.

While nothing but prayers can help those gone, and nothing can remove the danger completely, a thorough investigation uncovering the sequence of events may be able to offer recommendations to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Again, prayers and sympathy to the surviving families.
Best,

Charles

Offline Charles McAllister

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2007, 06:22:33 PM »
This is only speculation, but I witnessed a tug being tripped and capsized by a tow, and it can happen in seconds.

I was a passenger on a daycruise ship in Rockaway, NY as a boy.  The ship grounded at the pier when the tide went out.  To keep to the schedule, a tug was called.  The hookup was made to a mooring bit at midship and she was towed free.  Due to a horrible communications lapse, the ship began to gather way before the towline was loosed.  In seconds it came taut, swung over the tug's port bulwark, and pulled it over.  An alert seaman averted further disaster by cutting the line with an axe.  He was too late to save the tug, but prevented the hull from being dragged, which allowed the four crewmen to swim clear.  All four survived.  This incident happened in midafternoon on a sunny day.

The shortened towlines used in restricted waters mean that small changes in speed or heading of the towing vessel can result in very large force vector changes very quickly.  If Flying Phantom did go aground, it might have been less than a minute before the tow passed or ran down the tug.
Best,

Charles

Offline Stuart Young

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2007, 01:59:08 PM »
Just a reminder when we post on these forums not to get to carried away with speculation on what happend.

I'm sure their are many of you out there who have some ideas of what went wrong.

From time to time we see or hear on what went in accidents especially from the media, tv papers, etc, (what do the media know).

Their are freinds and families who read these forums and it can be dissturbing for them to read such speculations.

I have seen it after the Bourbon Dolphin accident and speculation then did get carried away on what went wrong

We should leave the experts to do what they know best and wait for the accident report to come out.    

be careful out their.

Stuart

Offline henrycourt

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2007, 02:49:49 PM »
I really can't see in all the postings re this tragedy anything untoward about a sensible and respectful theorisation about what happened.Perhaps we should be allowed to know which of these reports are getting carried away with the situation. After all when the MAIB report is published that will only be able to, on the burden of probabilities, theorise on the EXACT cause of this event. I think people posting on matters like this are quite able to sort the "wheat from the chaff" with what they may see or hear or read from the various media outlets.

Offline JMB

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2007, 06:26:43 PM »
Fortunately one of the users of Shipplotter on AISLiverpool has been able to give the MAIB a copy of the AIS log.  It seems that nowhere else was logging AIS.  Hopefully this will help work out what happened.

Offline E. Vroom

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2007, 07:33:09 PM »
Whatever happened, Happenned. It's a tragedy for all involved. And is felt deeply by collegues of the Svitzer company. Here in Amsterdam at the Svitzer station and on the tugs the flag's are waving half-mast all week since it happened.....

Offline cush

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2007, 08:00:01 PM »
It

Offline Bruce Sutherland

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2007, 05:10:41 AM »
Such a sad incident. My thoughts are with the families and the survivor over this festive period.

The local paper has stated there is a salvage team/vessel being sent from the Netherlands around the start of the year, would anyone here know which vessel this may be so that it can be tracked on AIS to Glasgow..

Offline Miguel N

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2007, 12:17:29 AM »
Really sad incident. Well ...
The salvage operation will begin in a few days. Tug RED DOLPHIN( IMO 9319208 ) left today the port of Rotterdam with the crane barge " GPS ATLAS " ( IMO 6725212 )  , going to Glasgow to begin the salvage.

Regards.

Miguel N

Offline Bruce Sutherland

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Re: Tug Flying Phantom capzised
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2008, 08:35:21 AM »

 

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