Knight
30-03-2007, 06:30 AM
Harbour warned of 'phantom' vessel
Friday Mar 30 05:00 AEST
By ninemsn staff
Ahead of Wednesday night's tragic boat collision, skippers in Sydney Harbour were warned that a private vessel was travelling without its lights on — and were advised to proceed with caution.
But a radio blackspot in the area may have prevented the HarbourCat Pam Burridge from hearing the crucial warning that could have saved four lives.
Police scaled back their search last night for 14-year-old ice skater Morgan Innes, who is now believed to have been killed when the private vessel she was a passenger on collided with the HarbourCat underneath Sydney Harbour Bridge at about 11pm AEST on Wednesday.
Three people, including NSW Ice Skating Association (NSW ISA) president Alan Blinn, 47, and Simone Moore, 44, who is also involved with the NSW ISA, have been confirmed dead with eight others injured.
More than 24 hours after the accident, details have emerged of an emergency call sent out by the ferry master which could have prevented the tragedy.
Authorities had spotted the 10m private craft, believed to be the Merinda, operating without running lights near the Harbour Bridge's southern pylon at about 10.30pm.
It is believed the skipper of the HarbourCat was unable to hear the warning, or subsequent chatter as other skippers discussed the "phantom" craft on open-air maritime radio, due to a communications breakdown.
Union sources told The Daily Telegraph the alert may have not been heard by the HarbourCat due to a radio blackspot.
Two Sydney Ferries employees were returning the out of service Pam Burridge back to its dock, when they struck the wooden vessel underneath the bridge, causing it to capsize and nearly split in half.
All 12 passengers of the private craft were spilled into the water, with passenger Olympian Liz Cain having part of her leg amputated upon impact.
A family friend, lawyer John Foley, said Cain passed out when she saw her injured leg and would have drowned had it not been for her quick-acting son who was also flung from the vessel, Australian ice skating champion Sean Carlow.
"Sean spotted her and grabbed her and rescued her," Foley said.
Sydney Ferries chief executive officer Rear Admiral Geoff Smith said the company is investigating the cause of the accident.
"We need to find out how it happened, why it happened and take whatever action is necessary to prevent it in the future," Smith said.
Hampering the investigation, however, is the fact that the HarbourCat was not fitted with black-box style technology — despite promises from Sydney Ferries two years ago to fit all of their vessels with the device.
The skipper of the HarbourCat tested negative for blood-alcohol content, and has been cleared of any responsibility for the crash.
Hi all,
Well, in addition to cycling, I'm also a figure skater and I personally knew all onboard that private vessel. I cannot give more information than what is already in the article, so please don't ask for it. I guess the article above was the first part of finding any sort of closure. The skating community has been hit extremely hard by this tragic accident. The fact that it was mostly accidental and probably preventable makes it too cruel to occur to these people, to any people.
Liz Cain, the woman whose leg was amputated is my coach. Her whole family was onboard. Morgan, the missing girl, is a close friend.
I will be visiting the hospital that Liz is currently in during this week. I guess I was going to ask what you would say in this situation. But do you say anything? If yes, then what? What words could bring comfort to my friends and colleagues? And what can be said to the ferry pilot to comfort him?
Thank you in advance for your support.
Friday Mar 30 05:00 AEST
By ninemsn staff
Ahead of Wednesday night's tragic boat collision, skippers in Sydney Harbour were warned that a private vessel was travelling without its lights on — and were advised to proceed with caution.
But a radio blackspot in the area may have prevented the HarbourCat Pam Burridge from hearing the crucial warning that could have saved four lives.
Police scaled back their search last night for 14-year-old ice skater Morgan Innes, who is now believed to have been killed when the private vessel she was a passenger on collided with the HarbourCat underneath Sydney Harbour Bridge at about 11pm AEST on Wednesday.
Three people, including NSW Ice Skating Association (NSW ISA) president Alan Blinn, 47, and Simone Moore, 44, who is also involved with the NSW ISA, have been confirmed dead with eight others injured.
More than 24 hours after the accident, details have emerged of an emergency call sent out by the ferry master which could have prevented the tragedy.
Authorities had spotted the 10m private craft, believed to be the Merinda, operating without running lights near the Harbour Bridge's southern pylon at about 10.30pm.
It is believed the skipper of the HarbourCat was unable to hear the warning, or subsequent chatter as other skippers discussed the "phantom" craft on open-air maritime radio, due to a communications breakdown.
Union sources told The Daily Telegraph the alert may have not been heard by the HarbourCat due to a radio blackspot.
Two Sydney Ferries employees were returning the out of service Pam Burridge back to its dock, when they struck the wooden vessel underneath the bridge, causing it to capsize and nearly split in half.
All 12 passengers of the private craft were spilled into the water, with passenger Olympian Liz Cain having part of her leg amputated upon impact.
A family friend, lawyer John Foley, said Cain passed out when she saw her injured leg and would have drowned had it not been for her quick-acting son who was also flung from the vessel, Australian ice skating champion Sean Carlow.
"Sean spotted her and grabbed her and rescued her," Foley said.
Sydney Ferries chief executive officer Rear Admiral Geoff Smith said the company is investigating the cause of the accident.
"We need to find out how it happened, why it happened and take whatever action is necessary to prevent it in the future," Smith said.
Hampering the investigation, however, is the fact that the HarbourCat was not fitted with black-box style technology — despite promises from Sydney Ferries two years ago to fit all of their vessels with the device.
The skipper of the HarbourCat tested negative for blood-alcohol content, and has been cleared of any responsibility for the crash.
Hi all,
Well, in addition to cycling, I'm also a figure skater and I personally knew all onboard that private vessel. I cannot give more information than what is already in the article, so please don't ask for it. I guess the article above was the first part of finding any sort of closure. The skating community has been hit extremely hard by this tragic accident. The fact that it was mostly accidental and probably preventable makes it too cruel to occur to these people, to any people.
Liz Cain, the woman whose leg was amputated is my coach. Her whole family was onboard. Morgan, the missing girl, is a close friend.
I will be visiting the hospital that Liz is currently in during this week. I guess I was going to ask what you would say in this situation. But do you say anything? If yes, then what? What words could bring comfort to my friends and colleagues? And what can be said to the ferry pilot to comfort him?
Thank you in advance for your support.