Originally Posted by
JNelson113
I'm at a complete loss for how this could happen! With all the sophisticated navigational equipment, really, how? Absolutely horrifying.
Automation can actually make things worse if no one is minding the store and if there is not sufficient training and practice on how to accomplish graceful degradation when there is a glitch or something goes haywire.
Some years ago there was a cruise ship that ran aground around Martha's Vineyard. After leaving the Bahamas or Bermuda, the crew set the autopilot on a course direct to their destination. Sometime later, a painter inadvertently busted the connection to the satellite antenna on the mast. The ship could longer do real time position updates so reverted to dead reckoning. The crew did not notice the glitch. Over time the course was off enough to create the grounding.
When marine radars that could see through fog became commonplace, maritime accidents increased since the crew thought they were always safe.
Will be interested to see how this one plays out.