The wrecked liner Costa Concordia lay sideways on the bottom. Loud shipwreck. Where is the line between truth and fiction

The wreck of ships... Such an incident is always shrouded in a halo of secrets, myths and legends. The famous shipwrecks are the black pages of history, which can be read only by looking into sea ​​depths. Sadly, majestic giant liners very often become victims of the raging waters of the seas and oceans.

The most famous shipwrecks became public knowledge. To date, there are many secret lists that name the most impressive ship disasters in the history of mankind. Below are just a few of those that have entered world history.

Ships that have been wrecked

For many, the first thing that comes to mind is a story that shocked the whole world with its tragedy. It eclipsed every other shipwreck. This is the story of the "Titanic" ... Although this story has grown over time with a lot of conjecture and conjecture, everyone is still interested in learning about what really happened. The crew were so blinded by the majesty of their ship and its superiority over other ships that for a time everyone became overconfident.

Possible causes of the tragedy

At that time, many said that a ship had finally been built that could not be sunk. But reality turned out to be unpredictable. One night, the ship was moving at full speed along its route, and only at the very last moment the sailors were able to notice the top of a huge ice block rising above the surface of the water. Urgent attempts were made to move the ship aside, but it was too late: the ship was wrecked. Almost at full speed, the Titanic hit an iceberg with its starboard side.

The ship breaks in half

Gradually, the lower tiers in the forward compartment of the ship begin to flood. Almost half of the vessel is filled cold water Atlantic Ocean. A counterweight is created on the ship, as a result of which it is half immersed in water. The body can not withstand the monstrous load and breaks in half. Both parts of the broken ship lose power and sink. Eyewitnesses of the tragedy recall that terrible day with trepidation, but still some facts remain in the shadows. For example, class discrimination passengers.

Could more have been saved?

Some witnesses claim that individual lifeboats were only half full of passengers. Only a few people sat in them, who set sail as soon as possible, in fear that the boat would overflow and sink. In the end, saved where fewer passengers than it could. However, do not forget that heroic deeds also took place that night. Many risked their lives to help others escape. Be that as it may, this disaster has become a symbol of arrogance.

complicated story

Another, no less tragic collision occurred with the steamer "Admiral Nakhimov". It became the big sensation of the twentieth century. The warm day of August began with the arrival of a cruise liner at the port. The city of Novorossiysk said goodbye to passengers who were soon to go on an exciting trip. Around the same time, a ship called "Pyotr Vasev" was planning to enter the port. The crews of both ships were warned about each other and had to act carefully, no one had any idea that the ships would soon crash.

Who is guilty and does it make sense to find out now?

As a result of short negotiations, it was decided to disperse on the right sides at the exit from the port. However, something went wrong, namely, it failed automatic system course placement. Technique is imperfect, this should never be forgotten. Shipwrecks are clear evidence of this. When it was noticed that the ship was moving at full speed directly towards the Admiral Nakhimov, the situation almost completely got out of control.

Dry cargo ship "Pyotr Vasev" crashed into passenger liner and made a hole eight by ten meters in size in its side. in eight minutes. Some of the circumstances under which the ship was wrecked raised questions among many. Why did a passenger ship sink to the bottom like a stone, if, according to the rules, it must have sufficient buoyancy to survive on the surface of the water for at least an hour after the crash? In addition, information was received that the captain had complied with the order of the port dispatcher and changed the route of the vessel. There will be many gaps and white spots in this story.

However, the most inconsolable fact is the death of almost half a thousand people. Perhaps the scale of the disaster would not have been so terrible if it had been possible to launch lifeboats. But what could be done in just eight minutes? It takes at least half an hour to organize the boarding of people in one boat. And this is under favorable conditions.

In the case when the crash of the ship "Nakhimov" took place, there was neither time nor factors allowing people to escape in boats. Time after the disaster, it becomes increasingly difficult to find out the true circumstances of the crash. Surely the true facts lie in the depths of the water, so it makes no sense to speculate, because time, like human lives, cannot be returned back.

These are just two stories, but they are not the only ones. The following list of the most famous shipwrecks will show that wrecks largest liners- far from uncommon.

• SS America.
• "Pioneer of the World"
• "Mediterranean sky".
• MB Captayannis.
• BOS 400.
• Fort Shevchenko.
• "Evangelia".
• "SS Maheno".
• "Santa Maria".
• "Dimitrios".
• "Olympia".

The ships were built over the years, solemnly left their native ports against the wind and eventually sank, ran aground, leaving only fragments and piles of iron in memory of themselves.

Australia decided to "hold Russia accountable" for the crash of a Malaysian Boeing 777 in 2014 in Ukraine. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, Maris Payne. She stressed that the member states of the Joint Investigation Group (JIT) share the conclusions of the May report, according to which the passenger liner crashed allegedly through Moscow's fault. Meanwhile, on September 17, the Russian Defense Ministry presented evidence of Ukraine's involvement in the tragedy, but these data were not taken into account by international investigators. Russian parliamentarians are convinced that the JIT has a "political task" to put pressure on the Russian side, and not to conduct an objective investigation.

Reuters Maxim Zmeyev

Australia decided to "hold accountable" Russia for the downing of flight MH17 in 2014. This was stated by Foreign Minister Maris Payne. She stressed that the countries of the Joint Investigation Team - Australia, Belgium, Ukraine, the Netherlands - remain committed to the conclusions of the investigation.

“My Dutch colleague Stef Blok (Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. — RT) also took the opportunity to inform our counterparts from other countries in the JIT of our decision to hold Russia accountable under international law for its involvement in the downing of MH17, and reaffirmed our common resolve," The Australian quoted the minister as saying.

Support for the results of the investigation from the Netherlands was confirmed by Prime Minister Mark Rutte. He noted that the tragedy remains "an open wound for the Netherlands."

“In May of this year, the Joint Investigation Team presented compelling evidence regarding the launcher that fired the missile that downed the Boeing. This only confirmed our determination that it is in the interests of the victims and their loved ones to find out the whole truth, establish those responsible and ensure the administration of justice, ”he stressed.

July 17 tragedy

Recall that passenger Boeing 777 airlines Malaysia Airlines, on flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed in the Donetsk region in Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298 people on board were killed. A month and a half after the tragedy, an international investigation team was created, which included the Netherlands, Australia, Ukraine and Belgium.

On May 24, 2018, the group in its report presented the results of an interim investigation, which states that the plane was allegedly shot down by a Buk missile from the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian Federation. In its investigation, the international investigation relied on Bellingcat data obtained from social networks. In Russia, involvement in the tragedy is denied.

“If the international investigation team is really interested in establishing the true culprits of the MH17 passenger flight crash in the sky of Ukraine, its representatives should rely in their statements primarily on facts and testimonies, and not on fake fake generators from Bellingcat or the SBU,” the Russian Defense Ministry explained. .

On September 17, the Russian defense department presented declassified documents and records of negotiations between officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, proving Ukraine's involvement in Boeing crash 777. According to the ministry, the rocket that shot down the airliner was manufactured in 1986 and then sent to the 223rd anti-aircraft missile brigade in the west of the Ukrainian SSR. After the collapse Soviet Union this brigade, along with all weapons and ammunition, became part of armed forces Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense sent the results of its investigation to the JIT in the Netherlands. In turn, the international investigation confirmed the receipt of information and promised to study new data. However, there were no further comments after that.

"The investigation is politicized"

The JIT has a “political task” to transfer responsibility for the tragedy with the liner to Russia, said Igor Morozov, a member of the Federation Council. In an interview with RT, he added that no arguments from Moscow would be considered by international investigators.

“I believe that the international investigation team will continue to insist on the May report and all the arguments that will appear, the evidence provided by the Russian side, will not be taken into account,” he said.

Morozov stressed that the investigators should have been guided only by objective data, but from the very beginning, those versions and arguments that Russia provided were not considered.

“We see the incredible Russophobic approach of the international investigation team ... Russia provided a flight model of the Buk missile, which proves the involvement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the names of the heads of units - this is also rejected,” the senator added.

Russia can only "hope for the prudence" of the investigation team, said Andrey Krasov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee.

“Our point of view has been announced… Unfortunately, this investigation is politicized. Some countries announce sanctions, others conduct substandard, to put it mildly, investigations, ”he said in a conversation with RT.

The refusal of the JIT to take into account the arguments of the Russian side is not constructive and contrary to generally accepted in international law investigation schemes, says Anton Morozov, a member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.

“It is necessary to study all the facts provided by the Russian side, not to dismiss Russia ... We really want to believe that common sense will prevail and the approach will be changed - from unsubstantiated accusations in favor of studying a normal evidence base,” he said in an interview with RT.

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Meanwhile, the rescue operation continues. Rescuers comb those rooms on the ship that are not yet flooded, and divers inspect the part of the ship that is under water.

The rescue operation is difficult because the cruise ship is very large - 290 meters long, according to Coast Guard officials. Its displacement is 114.5 thousand tons. It is comparable in size to an aircraft carrier.

Authorities claim that a total of three people died during the crash, and not eight, as previously thought. Most of the 3,200 passengers and 1,023 crew members were evacuated to the island of Giglio, and from there they were transferred to the mainland.

“Now we are primarily busy rescuing people. The rescuers still have to check all parts of the ship, including the flooded ones. Then, when the emergency phase is over, we will begin to determine the causes of the accident. It is known that the liner deviated from the course by 2-2 .5 miles (about 3.7 thousand meters) and came too close to the shore, "- such an initial version of the accident was expressed by the head of the Italian Ports Authority Vittorio Alessandro, specifying that the island of Giglio in the Tuscan archipelago is surrounded by rocks.

"At the moment, the liner is lying almost on its side due to the penetration of water through a hole in the hull, the length of which reaches 70 meters," Alessandro said. According to him, many experts have come to the conclusion that it will be difficult to return the ship to a horizontal position, therefore, most likely, the liner, worth 450 million euros, 290 meters long, with 1.5 thousand cabins and four pools, will be "dismantled on the spot."

Alessandro does not rule out that the equipment failed the crew and the captain. “Perhaps there was a breakdown of navigation equipment. A human factor is also possible, since the accident occurred during dinner, when most of The crew was engaged in servicing passengers in the hall," he explained.

As reported, about , according to preliminary data, were on board the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which ran aground off western coasts Italy.

"Mikhail Lermontov"

On February 16, 1986, the ship "Mikhail Lermontov" sank: the Soviet cruise ship sank off the coast of New Zealand. The people on board - 408 passengers, a significant part of them of retirement age, 330 crew members and a New Zealand pilot - were rescued by the Tarihiko tanker and the Arahura ferry that approached the place of the wreck. One person died in the crash: Pavel Zaglyadimov, an engineer of refrigeration units, who worked in a compartment that was flooded immediately after the collision. We decided to recall seven shipwrecked cruise ships.

"MIKHAIL LERMONTOV"

The ship "Mikhail Lermontov" was built at the shipyard of the German port of Wismar in 1972 and was put into operation in 1973. Its purpose was to serve regular cruise lines. In the same year, on May 28, the ship "Mikhail Lermontov" set off on its first voyage along the Bremerhaven-London-Havre-New York route, becoming the first Soviet passenger ship to visit a foreign American port in the last 25 years.

On five passenger decks, connected by ladders and elevators, there were 239 cabins, which could accommodate 550 passengers with all amenities. The crew consisted of 350 people and was located on the lower decks. At the service of passengers there was a music salon with a stage, a restaurant, five bars, a beauty salon, a hairdresser, a casino, a library, a winter garden, shops, tennis courts.

In your last flight the liner departed from the port of Leningrad on Friday, November 22, 1985. Having reached New Zealand Wellington, after a short stay, on February 16, 1986, in Shakespeare Bay off the coast of New Zealand, at 17 hours 38 minutes local time, at a speed of about 15 knots, the ship twice hit the bottom of a rocky shoal in the area of ​​​​Cape Jackson and received an extensive hole in port side below the waterline. A distress signal was sent and received by Wellington radio. The Arahura ferry, heading from Picton through the Cook Strait, and the Tarihiko tanker, which took on board 356 passengers and crew members, headed for the liner in distress. In addition to the tanker and the ferry, small fishing vessels took part in rescuing passengers and crew and rushing to help.

After the death of the ship, there were many different rumors about the hidden causes of the disaster. Officially, the senior assistant to the captain, Sergei Stepanishchev, was recognized as the culprit of the disaster, as the senior officer who was on the bridge at the time of the collision. At the same time, the court took into account the illegal actions of a New Zealand citizen, pilot Donald Jemison, who indicated the wrong course. Attempts to raise the liner sunken at a depth were not made. There is an opinion that the Soviet liner interfered with Western competitors: the USSR Ministry of the Passenger Fleet sold tickets at reduced prices by reducing costs. Our sea ​​vessels used Soviet fuel, which was much cheaper than Western. In England, tickets for a Soviet liner were sold at a price of $70 per day. A ten-day boat tour cost $700.

The remains of the ship are still at a depth of 25-30 meters and are popular place diving.

"ADMIRAL NAKHIMOV"

The Soviet passenger ship was wrecked on August 31, 1986, 15 km from Novorossiysk, 4 km from the coast. Until that day, "Admiral Nakhimov" had been making cruise voyages along the Crimean-Caucasian line for 29 years.

The ship was built in 1925 in Germany and bore the name "Berlin" Until 1939, "Berlin" made regular flights across the Atlantic, between the ports of Bremerhaven and New York. During the Second World War, the ship sank, but was raised, repaired and sold to the USSR in 1957. Over time, "Admiral Nakhimov" gained popularity in the country. The newlyweds have a fashion to make honeymoon travel on the Admiral Nakhimov. Vouchers for this ship were sold out six months before the start of the cruise.

On the day of the tragedy, along with the crew, there were 1243 people on the ship, including the head of the KGB department for Odessa region Major General A. Krikunov and his family, who arrived at the ship's departure from Novorossiysk. At 22:00, having taken passengers on board, the ship went to sea, moving towards Sochi. At this time, the cargo ship-dry cargo ship "Pyotr Vasev", greater displacement, entered the Tsemess Bay, following at a speed of 11.5 knots on a course of 36 degrees. The ships approached on intersecting courses. The total speed of their movement was over 23 knots, or 43 kilometers per hour. The dispatchers suggested that Viktor Tkachenko, the captain of the cargo ship Pyotr Vasev, let the passenger liner Admiral Nakhimov pass, to which he agreed. After that, both ships negotiated among themselves, specifying the details of the maneuver. However, at 23.12, Pyotr Vasev crashed with its bow at a right angle into the starboard side of the steamer, cutting a hole in it 8 by 10 meters. The liner went to the bottom in just 8 minutes. From the sinking ship, the sailors managed to throw off most of the inflatable life rafts, which became the only means of salvation for drowning people. At the crash site, about 1000 people were floundering on the surface of the water at the same time, many objects and debris floated. The wind and current began to carry the injured people directly to the dry cargo ship, and after a while several dozen people floated on both sides.

The captain of the port of Novorossiysk was immediately informed about the collision of the ships, who sent port fleet tugs, offshore and small passenger boats to the crash site. Total, by official version, as a result of the disaster, 423 passengers and crew members died. However, not all the dead were found and raised to the surface. 64 people remained forever under water.

ANDREA DORIA

Italian transatlantic liner, first launched on June 16, 1951 and distinguished by special safety, sank on July 26, 1956 11 hours after a collision with the Stockholm liner off the coast of New York. Andrea Doria was not just a liner. He personified the revival of the Italian merchant marine after the Second World War. With a gross tonnage of 29,100 gross tonnage and a length of 212 meters and a beam of 27.5 meters, the ship was one of the largest and fastest ships in the world. The premises of the liner were decorated with works of art. Each classroom has a cinema hall and a swimming pool with a recreation area.

July 25, 1956 "Andrea Doria" with 1134 passengers and 500 crew members on board, moving in the fog at a speed of 21.8 knots, was approaching the lighthouse on Nantucket Island. Almost the entire route was completed. The speed was higher than the maximum allowed in such weather conditions. At the same time, the 12,000-ton Swedish liner Stockholm was about to sail from New York. He was to pass within one mile of the lightship Nantucket, and then change course north to the coast of Scandinavia. However, in thick fog, a collision could not be avoided. On the bridges of both ships, they saw each other's lights almost simultaneously: "Stockholm" broke through 7 decks, and from the impact of "Andrea Doria" heeled heavily to the left, turned sharply, exposing the propellers, and continuing to go at full speed, dragged the Swedish ship behind him.

According to an emergency order, each of the 1250 passengers and 575 crew members were to board the lifeboats, only 8 people and the captain were to remain on the liner to control the eight winches that lowered all sixteen boats. The accident occurred on a busy section of the route, so help arrived quickly. When the roll of the Andrea Doria increased by 8 degrees, boats from the Stockholm, Ile de France, the Private William Thomas military transport, the Cape Ann fruit carrier and other responding ships approached the ship. The rescue of the passengers of the Andrea Doria was the most successful rescue operation in the history of shipwrecks: it was possible to save all the passengers of the liner.

The Italian liner is still lying at a depth of 72 meters, 40 miles from american island Nantucket. In addition to art objects, there were safes with passengers' money and jewelry on the ship. However, all attempts to raise the ship were unsuccessful. Over the past ten years, more than 15 divers have died here.

"COSTA CONCORDIA"

The Concordia liner in 2006 was in 10th place in the TOP 10 largest cruise ships in the world. Its length was 290 meters, which is comparable to three football fields. The ship was wrecked on January 13, 2012 near Italian island Giglio off the coast of the Tuscany region, having veered off course and approached the shore. At full speed, the liner pierced the bottom of coastal cliffs and tilted about 20 degrees. As a result of the impact, a long hole of 50 meters was formed on the hull. Almost instantly, the engine room was flooded and control over the engines and electronic systems was lost.

The last cruise called at the ports of several Italian cities as well as Barcelona and Marseille. On board the ship were 3216 passengers from 62 countries and 1023 crew members. During the crash of the liner, 32 people died, more than 4 thousand people were evacuated. The captain of the Concordia, Francesco Schettino, was arrested. According to the prosecution, he failed a cruise ship too close to the coast. If found guilty, the captain faces up to 20 years in prison. Francesco Schettino himself denies the accusations against him, arguing that the rock that the liner ran into was not on the sea charts.

613 days after the disaster, work began on lifting the ship. Rescue operation became the largest and most expensive in history: its cost was $ 800 million, and it took many months to prepare. On September 17, 2013, the ship was brought to a vertical position using rollers and 36 steel cables and a special platform built at a depth of 30 m.

Sea Diamond

The cruise ship Sea Diamond was shipwrecked on April 5, 2007 near Greek island Santorini. The ship was owned by Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines. Sea Diamond hit and hit the reef volcanic origin. The vessel, commissioned in 1986, was 142.9 m long and 24.7 m wide. Sea Diamond accommodated 1.5 thousand people, but at that time there were about 1.1 thousand people on board . All of them were evacuated with the exception of two people: the French, a daughter and a father, who are considered missing. On April 6, 2007, the ship sank at a depth of 200 m.

The Titanic The Britannic was the twin of the Titanic. It was the third and last Olympic-class ship ordered by White Star Line. The liners were supposed to be named after ancient Greek characters: Olympians, titans and giants. But, according to legend, the titans and giants died in the battle with the Olympians, and calling the new ship "Gigantic" would be as impudent as in the case of the "Titanic". Therefore, the ship was named the Britannic. Due to the Titanic disaster, changes were made to the design.

During the First World War, the Britannic was used as a hospital ship. On November 21, 1916, the liner was blown up by mines laid by the German submarine U73 under the command of Gustav Ziss in the Kea channel - between the island of Kea and mainland Greece. An evacuation was carried out. After some time, the ship capsized to starboard and sank 55 minutes after the explosion.

In addition to the crew, there were 3.3 thousand wounded on board. The crash killed 30 people. Most of them died in two lifeboats, which were pulled in by the still-rotating propeller.

On August 31, 1986, the Soviet liner Admiral Nakhimov crashed in the Tsemess Bay. The accident occurred as a result of a collision between the liner and a cargo ship. " Soviet Titanic” went under water in just 8 minutes. The long existence of the steamer, which survived the war, ended in a peacetime tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 400 people.

Echoes of former glory

At the time of its appearance, in the late twenties, the ship was one of the best examples of shipbuilding, in the first positions of the German civilian fleet. Periodic upgrades allowed the ship to exist quietly until the end of the war. After the transfer of the ship the Soviet Union, in In 1947, a major overhaul was carried out. Even in the fifties, the ship inspired respect for its appearance and decoration. The passenger found himself in the arms of precious woods, bronze handrails, chandeliers and expensive paintings, the first impression was greatly enhanced by the service, bars, restaurants, cinemas, hairdressers and libraries worked on the ship.

inevitability

Despite the long operation, by the beginning of the fifties, the ship was completely outdated in technical terms, and could no longer fully meet safety standards. The design itself did not meet the requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, adopted in 1948. At the time of the last release of the ship in 1986, it was declared completely unusable, however, the ship sailed and carried passengers, apparently no one wanted to give up such a symbol of luxury of the thirties. On August 31, 1986, the Admiral Nakhimov steamer again went to sea, in last time. The ship was commanded by an experienced captain V.G. Markov, who was recently awarded the title of "Best Captain of the Black Sea Shipping Company".

He went under water in eight minutes

At 22:00, the steamer "Admiral Nakhimov" departed from the berth of the port of Novorossiysk, there were 1234 people on board: 888 passengers and 346 crew members. On that day, the ship was the only ship leaving the port, the only ship that entered was the cargo ship "Pyotr Vasev", it was with him that the fatal collision occurred.

In accordance with the rules of maneuvering, the steamer that discovered the dry cargo ship was obliged to let it through. However, the captain Oh Oda decided not to change course and entered into radio conversations with the bulk carrier. Through the mediation of coastal regulation, the captains agreed that the steamer would follow the same course, and the bulk carrier would give way. Simply put, the captain of the "Admiral Nakhimov" invited another to break the rules, and did not meet with reciprocal resistance. The point of no return was the fact that until the moment of the collision, the captain of the "Peter Vasev" was guided exclusively by instruments, which in turn did not demonstrate a critical approach. The captain, due to "radar hypnosis", was unable to connect the instrument readings with real observation.

A few minutes before the collision, the captain of the dry cargo ship, under the influence of the insistent requests of the captain's assistant "Admiral Nakhimov", ordered to gradually give "full reverse", although in similar situation such a command was required to be given immediately - it takes much more time to start the machines than was left in the real situation.

At 23:10, a dry cargo ship rammed the Admiral Nakhimov steamer. The strong bow of the bulk carrier tore the skin and punched a huge hole in the ship's hull, which, under the influence of inertia, began to spread to other compartments. Because of the broken bulkheads of the compartments, the water began to quickly cover the ship, in 8 minutes the ship completely went under water. Due to the large rolls, the opportunity to use the boats was lost, people had to jump overboard, where pilot boats and other vessels that were nearby tried to pick them up. A little later, on alarm, tugboats, passenger boats, and border ships departed from the port of Novorossiysk. At dawn, 7 helicopters began to observe the disaster area and the adjacent water area from the air. The search operation was started by aircraft and search and rescue services of the Black Sea Fleet. Of the 1,234 passengers and crew, only 811 survived.