Errors of judgement caused collision of RSS Courageous: MPA

sgboy2004 SG

The 5-member inquiry team from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore found that errors of judgement caused the collision between the RSS Courageous and a container vessel, the ANL Indonesia, on January 3.

It concluded that the RSS Courageous crew had erred in their assessment of the situation that night and this led to the collision.

The inquiry team said the two navy officers on the watch that night altered the course of the RSS Courageous on the assumption that the ANL Indonesia would not alter its course to avoid a collision.

The RSS Courageous also made several subsequent course alterations which negated the actions taken by the container vessel.

The result was the collision between the two vessels which led to the deaths of four servicewomen.

The investigating team found that although a trainee officer-of-the-watch had control of the RSS Courageous, she was at all times under the supervision of a senior officer.

And by not intervening in the trainee officer's actions, the senior officer showed he was either not fully aware of the situation around him or had wrongly agreed with the trainee's actions and instructions.

The inquiry concluded the senior officer had either failed to keep a proper watch or had made similar errors of judgement as the trainee.

The report made it clear the collision was not due to other factors, such as failure of navigational equipment, weather and tidal conditions, or crew fatigue.

Source; Channelnewsasia.com website

Current Affairs Manager, COB
Singapore

sgboy2004 SG

SINGAPORE -- A Republic of Singapore Navy officer has been found responsible for a fatal collision earlier this year between the RSS Courageous and a massive container ship that killed four, the port authority said on Friday.

Lieutenant Ng Keng Yong made 'errors of judgment' on Jan 3, when he instructed a trainee to manoeuvre the RSS Courageous into the path of a Dutch-owned cargo ship, said Senior Director of the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) Lee Seng Kong.

The ports authority revealed the findings of its three-month-long investigation into the collision between the RSS Courageous, a 500-ton submarine hunter, and the cargo ship ANL Indonesia in the eastern Singapore Straits off Pedra Branca.

The accident killed four servicewomen and left eight other officers injured. One of the servicewomen was never found, and is presumed dead.

The incident was described by former Chief of Navy Rear- Admiral Lui Tuck Yew as the worst naval accident in Singapore's history.

Lt Ng was guiding a trainee, fellow officer Lt Chua Chue Teng, who was in control of the boat at the time of the collision.

According to RSN regulations, the officer-of-the-watch - in this case Lt Ng - was in charge, and not the trainee.

'By not intervening, the officer of the watch had shown that he was either not fully aware of the situation around him or had wrongly agreed with the actions and instructions given by the trainee...thus he had either failed to keep a proper watch or had made similar errors of judgment as the trainee,' said the report.

The report also said that the collision was not due to failure of machinery or equipment, fatigue of crew members or weather conditions.

Mr Lee said the findings would be sent to the state coroner.

'It's up to the coroner and the public prosecutor to decide what measures to take,' he said.

Defence Ministry concurs with findings
Defence Minister Tony Tan told reporters on Friday that his ministry agreed with the MPA's finding that the incident was the result of an error of judgement, and that it was next up to the coroner on the measures to be taken. -- AP

Source: Straitstimes website

Current Affairs Manager, COB
Singapore

sgboy2004 SG

The sequence of events

AT about 11.20 pm on Jan 3, both the navy ship RSS Courageous (RC) and the merchant ship ANL Indonesia (AI) were headed in the same north-easterly direction in waters off Pedra Branca. The AI was behind RC.

RC made a U-turn to avoid leaving Singapore waters and its patrol limits, said one of the investigators. AI, which had the RC in its radar, assessed that the smaller vessel that was coming at it would pass safely on its port (left) side.

But the RC altered course to port at 11.30 pm, putting it on a collision course with the AI. At this point, the vessels were 1.7 nautical miles (3 km) apart.

In the next three minutes, the RC made two further alterations of course to port.

At about 11:33 pm, the AI altered its course to starboard (right) to give the RC a wider berth, that is, to increase the passing distance between the two ships.

A littel after 11.33 pm, while the AI was turning to starboard, its crew saw the starboard sidelight of the RC, which meant that RC had altered course to port. Once again, AI altered course to starboard.

At 11.34 pm, the RC made an alteration of course to port again and sped up. By then, the distance between the two vessels was down to 0.8 nautical mile (1.4 km). AI sounded a prolonged blast on its horn to alert the RC.

At about 11.35 pm, the RC made a helm order of 'hard-a-port' and gunned its engine at full throttle. The vessels collided at just after 11.35 pm.

Current Affairs Manager, COB
Singapore

kohanson SG

Sad that means it's our fault..

sgboy2004 SG

mi wonder wat will happen to the trainee soldier...

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Military sgboy2004

kohanson SG

most probably will be jailed or fine lor..

sgboy2004 SG

so sad Crying or Very sad

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Military sgboy2004