They started out with two french jump jets and some helicopters, but couldn't afford the upkeep.

...and the jump jets kept flying backward.

Attachment 65169

I saw this picture in a UK newspaper but with little detail of the circumstances surrounding the collision.

My first thought was how did the ferry manage to ram the container vessel amidships in broad daylight, assuming that the photo was taken soon after the collision.

I did a bit of digging and found this from the WSJ:

Anchored? How on Earth....

WSJ Link

Reference points are probably misleading, even when they exist, at sea. Sort of like how a plane landing can seem to be hovering in place when seen from a car moving in just the right way. The ferry may have assumed the Virginia was moving perpendicular to their course, and would be out of the way by the time they got there.


Or they may have just fallen asleep at the wheel.

Thanks for your take on that, I see what you mean.

Autopilot?

Road rage.

The ferry's bow is about half-way through the container ship and was still there three days later acting as a plug to keep the latter from sinking.
Trucks and passengers on board the Ulysse, captain likely in the brig.
T-bone!

That's his new nickname.

German ship...

...there's a hole, there's a hole, there's a hole in the ship on the top of the sea.

She looks a lot like a modern High Speed Catamaran.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Vulkan
High speed catamaran
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_craft
Maybe that's why she was so fast 12 Knots when 10 knots was considered fast for a ship of that size.

or floating dry dock

Further to my post #108...



Judging by the starboard anchor chain passing over the port side of the bulbous prow, the container ship has rotated somewhat in the collision.

I know little of maritime law, but I thought that there was a requirement to maintain a lookout at all times. Not that I'm suggesting negligence, you understand.

Anyway, there's likely to be a delay in collecting the next consignment of half a million Chinese plastic dog turds. (Guaranteed to break the ice at parties).

Here it is.