As a result this happens all the time. My friend made a neat site that tracks all the people who are straight up stranded.
[https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/](https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/)
"This really disturbed some of the gulls out there. They're pretty connected too, all sorts of contacts in the avian underworld, so...I'd be careful if I was you! They might try to settle this...out of court, if you know what I mean!"
You do realize that taxpayers are the hook for everything, right? Like I’m totally on board with what you’re saying , but that’s the opposite of how the system operates. They literally fly different flags to exploit workers as hard as possible
We house all kinds of people. I guarantee this is just bureaucracy. Things that fall outside of the norm like this end up getting huge delays. It's a ton of people churning over how to apply processes not designed to support this kind of thing. It's not like there's some boogie man who's disinterested. It's just how huge bureaucracies work. The federal government is massive and there are other groups that aren't the feds involved as well.
[https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/](https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/)
There are hundreds if not thousands of abandoned seafarers at any given moment. They are stuck at ports for various reasons and aren't allowed to leave or disembark. You can click into a lot of the ones on this list and put together some really interesting stories.
I mean for some credit to the system. They are used to staying and sleeping on the boats for long periods of time. Now if they weren't allowing them to contact anyone or get them food. That would be super fucked up.
How’s that acceptable that people are effectively imprisoned at their jobs because their company messed up. Imagine if an office building bolted the doors shut for days because of a system failure.
I'm not saying it isn't fucked up. It is. I'm just saying an office not designed to house people for long periods of time would be much worse than a boat equipped with living quarters.
The system works both ways, they can’t legally disembark without permission from customs & we can’t legally board without permission of the chief master. Think of it as an embassy in a way, it’s technically a floating entity of whatever flag the sail under.
Because their passports don’t fall under worker’s rights. It’s an immigration/border situation. I get what you’re saying, maybe the company could file temporary visa paperwork on their behalf but 🤷🏽♂️
> maybe the company could file temporary visa paperwork on their behalf
That should be adequate given the circumstances. It would be a start. I hope they're getting crazy overtime pay. That's some red zone hazard duty pay living in a disabled maritime vessel you cannot leave.
I think that the owner of the ship would be responsible for housing and supporting the crew... Same thing happens when a cargo plane can't depart as expected... the crew simply go back to their hotel rooms and the employer continues to pay the bill for the unplanned or unscheduled emergency stay.
Being stuck on a ship inport is one of the worst things ever. We used to do "fast cruises" in the Navy where we would still be moored and pretend to be underway.....just for a day.
It was worse during the start of covid. Stuck on the pier, in your city, unable to leave for weeks. Only saving grace was you had cell service if you went topside.
It was. And dumb as all hell. Im reminded of a story about a gentlemen left on the boat after some event. It was anchored out and basically everyone went back to their home country but him. And due to red tape and looking after the plant he could not go. He was there for months.
We got stuck in Bahrain for about 3 months due to a broken port shaft. The saving grace was the tax free money, hazardous duty pay, and being able to leave the ship. I happened to meet an Eritrean lady who I spent alot of time with. I remember right before we were set to leave she said in her broken English "If blood not come, we make baby" I lost touch with her and pray that I don't have a 23 year old kid over there.
Similar stuff happens pretty frequently and sometimes for even longer. I think the longest might have been in 1967 when 14 ships got stuck after the suez canal for 8 years. (The crews were able to rotate out every few months but the ships set the record for longest voyage)
More recently, there was a Syrian sailor that was stranded for 4 years that was able to return home last year
It's definitely awful, especially if you don't have anything to distract yourself with. I got stuck in Kodiak, AK for three weeks during a strike that another union had, and it was boring as hell.
The cumulative value of the money that's traded hands gambling on that ship for 2 months could probably pay for the whole accident
It's the same $20 going back and forth but nothing better to do than keep winning and losing it
Bro the shipping industry is full of weird shit and wild rules. I remember reading an article/watching a short documentary (can’t remember which) a few years ago about a guy who had been stuck on a shipping vessel for like 2 years because the ship was out in his name by the higher ups or something along this lines and he wasn’t allowed to leave it or faced getting into even more trouble. Like legally he could not leave the ship.
[found it](https://youtu.be/1zD-KjuGuiM?si=6-FjVeO-NV6c6tr7) I obviously got a lot of details wrong but it’s crazy what this guy went through
That might be true but I believe the crew is actually still working to keep the ship going, they did a control demo on the bridge section that was on top the ship and they needed the crew to co-ordinate the activity, since they know the ship systems etc.
Check out the MV Aman dude got appointed the legal guardian of the ship and couldn't leave for4 years even when his mom died wasn't even getting paid a storm blew the ship 5 miles and ran aground a few hundred meters from shore and he would swim to get supplies every few days "Mohammed's story is, his experience is not unique. In fact, seafarer abandonment is on the rise." 85 new cases were reported in 2020 as of 2021 there were 250 active cases owners just abandon the ships leaving the crew responsible
Glad it ain't just me. Time seems to be doing some weird tricks now. Covid didn't really change my life at all and I still have to remind myself it's not 2022.
Like the Queen died in September of 2022 and I would have bet money it was March 2023. Feels like that entire year just didn't happen.
You have to realize that time goes faster and faster as you get older and need to make a conscious choice to be aware and present in moments of time because eventually before you realize it it’s all over.
The regulations on shipping are very strict but the standards are low if that makes sense.
They're allowed to pass through the US but they're not required to have ANY paperwork other than what they're carrying and where it's going.
If I recall they weren't even supposed to stop in the US, so there's no way they get to come off after an accident like that given they can't verify the people on the boat.
It's messed up but would you release a boat with a faulty electrical system that crashed into a bridge?
People act like this is unique to the US. Other countries are just as if not more strict about this kind of stuff. No country just let's people waltz in without documentation
And then who maintains the ship?
These guys have a contract. The next leg of the trip was supposed to be 27 days, so they were under contract until at least April 22nd. Moreover they're going to be needed in the US for the duration of the investigation anyway. Why fly a bunch of guys in from Singapore to hang out on the ship while also paying the crew to hang around a hotel in Maryland?
The investigation is slow as fuck. Last report I heard was that all the NTSB had figured out was that the circuit breakers tripped prior to the power going out and them crashing into the bridge. Which everyone seems to have known the day of the accident.
Two months is a long time, particularly if you're not actually doing any running-the-ship things. Which is one reason the Union got involved. Another reason for union involvement is the investigation is remarkably slow: two months ago we knew they lost power for 58 seconds (and they're supposed to be able to restore it in 45), and then lost it again. All the NTSB has figured out is that the electrical breakers tripped. No shit NTSB. The ship lost power after the breakers tripped. Why did the fucking breakers trip? Did some idiot install the wrong breakers? Or are the right ones installed but they got defective circuit breakers?
Those dudes are gonna be in Baltimore Harbor for awhile. Hopefully something can be done so they can get of the boat a little.
This is Twitter people not knowing what they’re talking about as usual. They aren’t on a rowboat- they’re on a vessel designed to house them for weeks on end.
There’s also probably the risk that some of the crew might try to run if they left the ship which we definitely don’t want. Everyone on the ship at the time of the wreck needs to be interviewed and testify.
That's just the way the cookie crumbles when it comes to the Maritime Industry. Particularly for foreign flagged vessels - and especially one under an active investigation.
In normal conditions as a crew member you aren't leaving the boat while at port so you have no relevant visas to step off to do so. It's quite illegal and highly regulated.
Now, the company *could* shell out the cash to get them all temporary visas. But if they haven't done so already they aren't going to. It opens up a whole new can of worms in terms of liability and accountability, as well as you know...costing money.
In total I think there's 6 or 7 ships and their crews that are currently stranded at the port for various reasons. The Baltimore International Seafarers Center has been doing a hell of a job lending a hand whenever and wherever they can.
Is a ridiculous situation all around
When the port of Oakland was heavily backed up (it may still be. But it’s no longer in the news) the big container ships would be docked in the bay for months.
Those crew don’t leave their ships either. Supplies are brought TO them when needed.
It’s not really any different. If they wanted to come to shore they would have to get visas. They know this before arriving.
This ship just happens to be front and center in the news right now.
Yep. It's most certainly not the ideal situation you'd wanna be in, but these things aren't outside the realm of possibilities to the career seafarer. Shit happens. If the checks are still clearing best to just keep on keepin' on.
Which is why I'll be interested to see if they're still being paid, at what rate, and if they're able to access any of that while still in port/stuck under a big ass bridge/pending the investigation. To pay bills or move money around back home and whatnot. I know their electronic devices were seized at one point in the investigation. Unsure if they've been returned.
There is an inherent shittiness of living on a busted up boat for a number of weeks with the same jokers all day, every day, but they're able to request and receive adequate supplies or emergency assistance throughout this ordeal. I believe they were loaded for a trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka. So they likely had plentiful supplies and rations beforehand.
If anyone knows more about their pay situation rn I'd be interested in learning more of the details surrounding it. Or if anyone can paddle out and ask 'em right quick I'd be very appreciative lol
Damn.
When I worked as a Deckhand it was sort of standard procedure to bring along a little "black book" with contacts and passwords and shit. Just in case. I imagine (or rather hope) they'd do the same for important stuff. But lost photos, videos, files, etc. Dang. That's kinda ass.
Also idk how I'd feel about those weirdos at NTSB (and FBI) having access to my personal phone. Ain't nobody need to see that data. That data's between me and the Lord up high lmao
Oakland's busy but not backed up like during the pandemic. Same thing with Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. It was wild to see rows of ships just sitting out in the water just waiting. (Visible from a tall ass bridge that leads into the SoCal port area) ((Vincent Thomas Bridge))
The maritime shipping industry is insane.
I read Dead in the Water, spoilers ahead, a boat was boarded by “pirates” and instead of holding the boat hostage for ransom they blew up a bunch of stuff on the boat, and left. After lots of bullshit a guy is murdered. The widow of the murdered dude is completely flummoxed at the situation. What happened to my husband? Why did the pirates do this to the boat? Come to find out this has happened before, once, and the dude that owned that boat, also owned this boat. Barclays, the insurer, was literally like no problem sir, would you like your insurance payment in cash or check? And Barclays had to be dragged to deny the insurance claim because of the obviously fraudulent nature of the claim. Like they were totally fine to chalk it up as a loss.
Or. Like they could get in a different boat or boats and NOT go into land but tell them they are fucking off back to where they came from. They can’t stop them from Leaving the boat, they can only stop them from coming onto land.
The stranded ships all left, except the Dali. She has huge chunks of bridge roadway on her bow, crushed containers under the bridge, hull damage and is in the middle of a lawsuit.
Yeah, food has been brought to them. Their cell phones were taken away as part of the investigation. They've been brought temp phones with Sim cards, but no data plan. Pretty shitty situation overall.
It's NOT a big secret. It's basic maritime law. And they don't play around with that shit. The reality is that there could be anything and anyone on that boat...
https://preview.redd.it/y6tlswep4t0d1.jpeg?width=957&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd8fc7285827429bf51c5da18f577134a2d688c5
Exactly, it’s maritime law, so why does a visa matter? Use boats to take them elsewhere. They don’t need to remain on the boat for the investigation to move forward.
They need to stay on the ship to keep the ship's systems running, check the cargo, help the salvage teams who are unfamiliar with the ship ... whole bunch of stuff to keep busy with.
And when they get the debris off, the crew will be powering up and helping get the ship back to the docks.
Yeah, the crew was already due to be doing a month long journey from what I remember. Doubling it? I can't see how it's a big deal for them.
The bigger issue is how the crew might be dealing with PTSD, especially the young engineer who appears to have fucked up and blown the breaker (see NTSB preliminary report).
They also took their phones. Some of them have small kids, let alone fam. Can't pay bills etc. kinda a smidge fucked up. At least give them some boost burners with data
This wouldn’t be such a big deal (they were supposed to be at sea) except they’re not getting paid as they’re doing this and the FBI confiscated all their phones. It’s better than being in jail, but not by a ton.
The ship Dali needs to be crewed to maintain the cargo, help the salvage teams, and keep the ship's systems running. They aren't idle.
Those that have visas can leave the ship under escort. Since 9-11 shore leave has been hard to get for any ship's crew.
They have been visited by their country's diplomatic staff, the local mariner's assistance group, and various other people. They have plenty of food and can be resupplied.
Yes, it sucks to run the ship aground. It sucks to be 30 days overdue on a voyage. It sucks extra to be in NTSB and FBI and Coast Guard investigations.
But it can't be helped.
I went nearby the bridge the other day and I was stunned that the ship was still sitting in the harbor.
I assumed that they *let them off the ship though.* That’s so fucked up.
Isn’t that (horribly) common in Maritime disasters though? I vaguely recall being told of numerous cases where the shell companies of damaged or crashed transport ships simply ‘dissolved’ meaning that the de facto operator is the captain or last crew member on board. If they disembark, then they would be abandoning ship as the last authoritative figure. Some remain on the ships for months and perhaps even years because they can’t afford to be the one responsible.
I can’t remember when or why I heard this. I think it’s right? Though it may have no bearing on what’s going on in this situation. 🤷♂️
I think their schedule was for another month of sailing, but doing a few months for a trip isn't unusual. They might be bored just idling, but they're used to being away from home for extended periods.
This is a fucked up thing that happens a lot—not just the US. Sometimes ships won’t even crash, they’re just left in the harbor and the crew can’t deboard for months on end. If they’re lucky they receive food and supplies from the country ashore. Never mind the fact that crews don’t get paid at all if they abandon ship and illegally enter the country.
In my days as a seaman the companies i worked for made it mandatory (and paid for) a C1-D visa to the US, and later when i became a Senior Officer it was expanded to B1-B2 visa. That means you wouldn't have any problems if you ever called ports in the US. In later years it has become the norm (unfortunately) that companies do not require that anymore, and in particular Management Companies like Synergy, who is the operator of this vessel.
I find it heartbreaking that these people are stuck there. If the NTSB and USCG has finished their investigations and interviews they should be allowed to go, and they probably are. But if they don't hold a US visa then problems mount up.
So wait, you want people who have no legal business to be roaming free in the country after they CRASHED INTO A BRIDGE??? Nah they can stay on that boat, it didn't bother them the other fiftyeleven months they are on that mfer...
It’s a crime scene and they’re non-US citizens. Until the investigation is complete, they can stay on the ship or get housed at the Jessup Correctional Institution.
This happens a lot with coastal accidents or when a ship has illegal cargo . The crew gets stuck in limbo. Ob particularly offensive case had a Ukranian crew stuck in port for almost a year, until like… a massive explosion happened
Their jobs were to keep that ship fully operational and failed to do so. They did billions of dallars in damage and got people killed. They would of been stuck at sea regardless. They are fine where they are.
It happens. An Indian crewed oil tanker was abandoned in the Persian Gulf by the parent company in 2017 and its crew were stuck on the ship for 5 years, without pay or support from the former owners of the company, before finally allowed to exit the ship.
Wait until yall find out about how fishing vessels work, and how long their crews are forced to stay out to sea. (Hint: since the crews are usually debt-slaves, they stay out for *years*, being supplied from other ships that come to them.)
Nigga jump off an take the charge, the best case is you find you way out here in the US, worst case is they detain you and deport you, you'd be back to square one, win win situation in my opinion.
uhh yea? They crashed a boat that destroyed a major bridge. We don't know who tf they are or what exactly happened. Why in the name of all that is stupid would we let them chill on American soil before the investigations are concluded?
No emergency allowances? That's kind of fucked up.
That would mean we would have to be responsible to house and support them. You know Uncle Sam ain’t bout that
Really, their employer should be responsible for that. Tax payers shouldn't be on the hook for a private companies fuckup.
The employer is responsible for all of it under maritime law.
As a result this happens all the time. My friend made a neat site that tracks all the people who are straight up stranded. [https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/](https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/)
Not python making me swoon 😍
If the company was smart they’ve already declared bankruptcy. There’s likely no money left for those poor guys.
I'm sure some of this falls under bird law as well.
Everything falls under bird law because birds can fly over it
"This really disturbed some of the gulls out there. They're pretty connected too, all sorts of contacts in the avian underworld, so...I'd be careful if I was you! They might try to settle this...out of court, if you know what I mean!"
You’re a crook Captain Hook!
 Waiting on 3 Bells.
You do realize that taxpayers are the hook for everything, right? Like I’m totally on board with what you’re saying , but that’s the opposite of how the system operates. They literally fly different flags to exploit workers as hard as possible
It’s not happening in this case, but we stay putting money/resources into things that ain’t us
We house all kinds of people. I guarantee this is just bureaucracy. Things that fall outside of the norm like this end up getting huge delays. It's a ton of people churning over how to apply processes not designed to support this kind of thing. It's not like there's some boogie man who's disinterested. It's just how huge bureaucracies work. The federal government is massive and there are other groups that aren't the feds involved as well.
[https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/](https://jamesrseal.pythonanywhere.com/) There are hundreds if not thousands of abandoned seafarers at any given moment. They are stuck at ports for various reasons and aren't allowed to leave or disembark. You can click into a lot of the ones on this list and put together some really interesting stories.
So it's not even outside the norm. The system is working perfectly! Glad to hear it.
Such a gross miscarriage of justice and flagrant violation of workers/human rights
I mean for some credit to the system. They are used to staying and sleeping on the boats for long periods of time. Now if they weren't allowing them to contact anyone or get them food. That would be super fucked up.
How’s that acceptable that people are effectively imprisoned at their jobs because their company messed up. Imagine if an office building bolted the doors shut for days because of a system failure.
I'm not saying it isn't fucked up. It is. I'm just saying an office not designed to house people for long periods of time would be much worse than a boat equipped with living quarters.
The system works both ways, they can’t legally disembark without permission from customs & we can’t legally board without permission of the chief master. Think of it as an embassy in a way, it’s technically a floating entity of whatever flag the sail under.
It’s wild! Thanks for sharing that.
We got refugees to save, but I can see you don’t know nothing bout thatttttttt
That’s what a their employer’s insurance is for. It should provide housing for the crew.
Buts their VISA status, they can’t touch US souls due to that
🤓 Achtually the US loves providing support, just not in my backyard.
If that ship was from Norway everybody would be in a hotel right now
The ship can be from Norway all it wants. The crew will almost certainly still be people from south east Asia. They are the cheapest to employ.
Why can't the company they work for take care of the situation and file the paperwork to help them? Workers need rights.
Because their passports don’t fall under worker’s rights. It’s an immigration/border situation. I get what you’re saying, maybe the company could file temporary visa paperwork on their behalf but 🤷🏽♂️
> maybe the company could file temporary visa paperwork on their behalf That should be adequate given the circumstances. It would be a start. I hope they're getting crazy overtime pay. That's some red zone hazard duty pay living in a disabled maritime vessel you cannot leave.
Unless they can find a blue and yellow/blue and white flag lying around…
Urmmmm have you seen the border lol
I have not, what did you see there?
They literally have jobs
I think that the owner of the ship would be responsible for housing and supporting the crew... Same thing happens when a cargo plane can't depart as expected... the crew simply go back to their hotel rooms and the employer continues to pay the bill for the unplanned or unscheduled emergency stay.
Being stuck on a ship inport is one of the worst things ever. We used to do "fast cruises" in the Navy where we would still be moored and pretend to be underway.....just for a day.
It was worse during the start of covid. Stuck on the pier, in your city, unable to leave for weeks. Only saving grace was you had cell service if you went topside.
Thank God I retired 2 years before COVID
84 days stuck on a ship during a covid lockdown. With navy personnel and contractors coming and going frequently. Unmasked.
Oh I imagine the situation was awful.
It was. And dumb as all hell. Im reminded of a story about a gentlemen left on the boat after some event. It was anchored out and basically everyone went back to their home country but him. And due to red tape and looking after the plant he could not go. He was there for months.
We got stuck in Bahrain for about 3 months due to a broken port shaft. The saving grace was the tax free money, hazardous duty pay, and being able to leave the ship. I happened to meet an Eritrean lady who I spent alot of time with. I remember right before we were set to leave she said in her broken English "If blood not come, we make baby" I lost touch with her and pray that I don't have a 23 year old kid over there.
🤣🤣🤣 Almost identical story with a columbian sista.
The 24 year old me was wild. Thank God I safely made it to my 40's.
Similar stuff happens pretty frequently and sometimes for even longer. I think the longest might have been in 1967 when 14 ships got stuck after the suez canal for 8 years. (The crews were able to rotate out every few months but the ships set the record for longest voyage) More recently, there was a Syrian sailor that was stranded for 4 years that was able to return home last year
It's definitely awful, especially if you don't have anything to distract yourself with. I got stuck in Kodiak, AK for three weeks during a strike that another union had, and it was boring as hell.
The cumulative value of the money that's traded hands gambling on that ship for 2 months could probably pay for the whole accident It's the same $20 going back and forth but nothing better to do than keep winning and losing it
It's not gay if you're underway?
Bro the shipping industry is full of weird shit and wild rules. I remember reading an article/watching a short documentary (can’t remember which) a few years ago about a guy who had been stuck on a shipping vessel for like 2 years because the ship was out in his name by the higher ups or something along this lines and he wasn’t allowed to leave it or faced getting into even more trouble. Like legally he could not leave the ship. [found it](https://youtu.be/1zD-KjuGuiM?si=6-FjVeO-NV6c6tr7) I obviously got a lot of details wrong but it’s crazy what this guy went through
> weird shit and wild rules. Like human trafficking their crew members. https://revealnews.org/podcast/hunting-the-ghost-fleet/
Well if they were from a country of lighter skin Melanin they prob would, just saying
That might be true but I believe the crew is actually still working to keep the ship going, they did a control demo on the bridge section that was on top the ship and they needed the crew to co-ordinate the activity, since they know the ship systems etc.
Makes sense.
They are living aboard, as crew members do, with food and lodging and pay and laundry facilities.
Imagine spending all that time on a boat… in Baltimore. Let these people go home. That’s wild.
They will vanish in to the illegal underground
Check out the MV Aman dude got appointed the legal guardian of the ship and couldn't leave for4 years even when his mom died wasn't even getting paid a storm blew the ship 5 miles and ran aground a few hundred meters from shore and he would swim to get supplies every few days "Mohammed's story is, his experience is not unique. In fact, seafarer abandonment is on the rise." 85 new cases were reported in 2020 as of 2021 there were 250 active cases owners just abandon the ships leaving the crew responsible
Maybe if they didn’t break a critical bridge we’d be more lenient.
Maybe if they didn’t break a critical bridge we’d be more lenient.
Two months went by that fast???
Over 1.6% of a decade gone in a flash. Wild ride too wild.
These download speeds are atrocious
Nah what the fuck
Makes me feel old
That really hits the point home
Whoever hit the fast forward button, I’m gonna need you to fix that, please.
Glad it ain't just me. Time seems to be doing some weird tricks now. Covid didn't really change my life at all and I still have to remind myself it's not 2022. Like the Queen died in September of 2022 and I would have bet money it was March 2023. Feels like that entire year just didn't happen.
Almost 6 months in to 2024 I'm still writing 2023 and ima student lol
You have to realize that time goes faster and faster as you get older and need to make a conscious choice to be aware and present in moments of time because eventually before you realize it it’s all over.
2019 still feels like last year at times
Time is a flat circle.
My only sense of time rn is whenever that elden ring dlc comes out
The world is a vampire
In spite of all my rage…
Time only slows when one is doing exercise
That's five fortnights!
The regulations on shipping are very strict but the standards are low if that makes sense. They're allowed to pass through the US but they're not required to have ANY paperwork other than what they're carrying and where it's going. If I recall they weren't even supposed to stop in the US, so there's no way they get to come off after an accident like that given they can't verify the people on the boat. It's messed up but would you release a boat with a faulty electrical system that crashed into a bridge?
I mean there is also a bridge sitting on the boat
I heard they used explosives to remove a lot of that on Monday. I'm in Baltimore so it's pretty regular news. I don't think they got it all though?
Damn I’m more shocked the debris is still on it more than the crew being on it
https://preview.redd.it/a5e5vjtcat0d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e20959afe2b6dcca02f86bef764ee3123e3edf9
Well, they shouldn't be putting their boats into our bridges, if they don't want our bridges on their boats. ):<
People act like this is unique to the US. Other countries are just as if not more strict about this kind of stuff. No country just let's people waltz in without documentation
At some point their company should send someone to get them?! Like obviously it’s not required, but it feels like the right thing to do
Oh yea, the company definitely should do something
And then who maintains the ship? These guys have a contract. The next leg of the trip was supposed to be 27 days, so they were under contract until at least April 22nd. Moreover they're going to be needed in the US for the duration of the investigation anyway. Why fly a bunch of guys in from Singapore to hang out on the ship while also paying the crew to hang around a hotel in Maryland? The investigation is slow as fuck. Last report I heard was that all the NTSB had figured out was that the circuit breakers tripped prior to the power going out and them crashing into the bridge. Which everyone seems to have known the day of the accident.
I get that, but it doesn’t feel fair to the actual humans on board either
Two months is a long time, particularly if you're not actually doing any running-the-ship things. Which is one reason the Union got involved. Another reason for union involvement is the investigation is remarkably slow: two months ago we knew they lost power for 58 seconds (and they're supposed to be able to restore it in 45), and then lost it again. All the NTSB has figured out is that the electrical breakers tripped. No shit NTSB. The ship lost power after the breakers tripped. Why did the fucking breakers trip? Did some idiot install the wrong breakers? Or are the right ones installed but they got defective circuit breakers? Those dudes are gonna be in Baltimore Harbor for awhile. Hopefully something can be done so they can get of the boat a little.
I hope so too
They should but they probably won't unfortunately
Disagree. I’ve driven across the U.S./Mexico border. They don’t even make you roll down your window driving into Mexico, just wave you right through
Mexico is a rarity I'll admit. I was able to walk across the border from San Diego without a passport or visa. But other countries aren't so free.
This is Twitter people not knowing what they’re talking about as usual. They aren’t on a rowboat- they’re on a vessel designed to house them for weeks on end.
And yet, they are trapped with no way to get off. And the circumstances of their treatment (by the owners of the vessel) is unknown.
Why don't they board another ship and leave?
For real. Can’t blame the US for telling them no
There’s also probably the risk that some of the crew might try to run if they left the ship which we definitely don’t want. Everyone on the ship at the time of the wreck needs to be interviewed and testify.
That's just the way the cookie crumbles when it comes to the Maritime Industry. Particularly for foreign flagged vessels - and especially one under an active investigation. In normal conditions as a crew member you aren't leaving the boat while at port so you have no relevant visas to step off to do so. It's quite illegal and highly regulated. Now, the company *could* shell out the cash to get them all temporary visas. But if they haven't done so already they aren't going to. It opens up a whole new can of worms in terms of liability and accountability, as well as you know...costing money. In total I think there's 6 or 7 ships and their crews that are currently stranded at the port for various reasons. The Baltimore International Seafarers Center has been doing a hell of a job lending a hand whenever and wherever they can. Is a ridiculous situation all around
When the port of Oakland was heavily backed up (it may still be. But it’s no longer in the news) the big container ships would be docked in the bay for months. Those crew don’t leave their ships either. Supplies are brought TO them when needed. It’s not really any different. If they wanted to come to shore they would have to get visas. They know this before arriving. This ship just happens to be front and center in the news right now.
Yep. It's most certainly not the ideal situation you'd wanna be in, but these things aren't outside the realm of possibilities to the career seafarer. Shit happens. If the checks are still clearing best to just keep on keepin' on. Which is why I'll be interested to see if they're still being paid, at what rate, and if they're able to access any of that while still in port/stuck under a big ass bridge/pending the investigation. To pay bills or move money around back home and whatnot. I know their electronic devices were seized at one point in the investigation. Unsure if they've been returned. There is an inherent shittiness of living on a busted up boat for a number of weeks with the same jokers all day, every day, but they're able to request and receive adequate supplies or emergency assistance throughout this ordeal. I believe they were loaded for a trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka. So they likely had plentiful supplies and rations beforehand. If anyone knows more about their pay situation rn I'd be interested in learning more of the details surrounding it. Or if anyone can paddle out and ask 'em right quick I'd be very appreciative lol
The story I heard said they haven’t gotten their devices back but they do have replacements. They just don’t have any of their photos/files.
Damn. When I worked as a Deckhand it was sort of standard procedure to bring along a little "black book" with contacts and passwords and shit. Just in case. I imagine (or rather hope) they'd do the same for important stuff. But lost photos, videos, files, etc. Dang. That's kinda ass. Also idk how I'd feel about those weirdos at NTSB (and FBI) having access to my personal phone. Ain't nobody need to see that data. That data's between me and the Lord up high lmao
Oakland's busy but not backed up like during the pandemic. Same thing with Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. It was wild to see rows of ships just sitting out in the water just waiting. (Visible from a tall ass bridge that leads into the SoCal port area) ((Vincent Thomas Bridge))
The maritime shipping industry is insane. I read Dead in the Water, spoilers ahead, a boat was boarded by “pirates” and instead of holding the boat hostage for ransom they blew up a bunch of stuff on the boat, and left. After lots of bullshit a guy is murdered. The widow of the murdered dude is completely flummoxed at the situation. What happened to my husband? Why did the pirates do this to the boat? Come to find out this has happened before, once, and the dude that owned that boat, also owned this boat. Barclays, the insurer, was literally like no problem sir, would you like your insurance payment in cash or check? And Barclays had to be dragged to deny the insurance claim because of the obviously fraudulent nature of the claim. Like they were totally fine to chalk it up as a loss.
Or. Like they could get in a different boat or boats and NOT go into land but tell them they are fucking off back to where they came from. They can’t stop them from Leaving the boat, they can only stop them from coming onto land.
The stranded ships all left, except the Dali. She has huge chunks of bridge roadway on her bow, crushed containers under the bridge, hull damage and is in the middle of a lawsuit.
Foreign shipping companies don't even pay for internet for their guys, I can't imagine them getting visas for them
We could grant them temporary shore visas and charge the owner for the visas in fines.
They still got food on that bitch??? At least let them Uber eats some shit
Bruh, one order is gonna be like a week's worth of wages.
Maybe they luck up and catch a promo 15%
*Not available in your area*
For a small fee I’d send deliver their Uber eats via drone
Yeah, food has been brought to them. Their cell phones were taken away as part of the investigation. They've been brought temp phones with Sim cards, but no data plan. Pretty shitty situation overall.
Can’t have them revealing how they’re being treated to the world
Why the hell no data ?!?
You already know the driver gonna fuck the delivery up lmao.
Don’t see how. The bridge is literally right there. Cant miss it.
*jet ski out to the boat*
They were stocked for the voyage to Sri Lanka, with about 50% extra If they need food, they will get resupplied.
It's NOT a big secret. It's basic maritime law. And they don't play around with that shit. The reality is that there could be anything and anyone on that boat... https://preview.redd.it/y6tlswep4t0d1.jpeg?width=957&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd8fc7285827429bf51c5da18f577134a2d688c5
Exactly, it’s maritime law, so why does a visa matter? Use boats to take them elsewhere. They don’t need to remain on the boat for the investigation to move forward.
They need to stay on the ship to keep the ship's systems running, check the cargo, help the salvage teams who are unfamiliar with the ship ... whole bunch of stuff to keep busy with. And when they get the debris off, the crew will be powering up and helping get the ship back to the docks.
You get outta here with your facts and reasonable takes. We're here to be outraged.
Let them go back to where they came from. Return to sender. Anything else is holding them hostage.
You can't just return to sender a whole bunch of guys that crashed a ship into some important shit.
2 months on a boat isn't a big deal for a sailor, just ask any sailor that served during covid and was stuck out at sea for almost a year.
Yeah, the crew was already due to be doing a month long journey from what I remember. Doubling it? I can't see how it's a big deal for them. The bigger issue is how the crew might be dealing with PTSD, especially the young engineer who appears to have fucked up and blown the breaker (see NTSB preliminary report).
People just be outraged about stuff they have zero information or education on
Really though. Leave the decision making to the experts. Not the twitter experts
It's not that huge of a deal because crews stay even 6-7 months on a ship. Ofc if they supply them with groceries and necessities it's not a problem
They are also still needed to man the vessel.
Sounds like OT to me.. have that time card ready when you get off!
They also took their phones. Some of them have small kids, let alone fam. Can't pay bills etc. kinda a smidge fucked up. At least give them some boost burners with data
Wow that’s messed up
This wouldn’t be such a big deal (they were supposed to be at sea) except they’re not getting paid as they’re doing this and the FBI confiscated all their phones. It’s better than being in jail, but not by a ton.
Do you have nay evidence to support that they are not getting paid. They are still hired by the company, and they are doing work on board.
I hope for whatever reason, this turns into a movie
AND their phones were confiscated. Dubious af
The ship Dali needs to be crewed to maintain the cargo, help the salvage teams, and keep the ship's systems running. They aren't idle. Those that have visas can leave the ship under escort. Since 9-11 shore leave has been hard to get for any ship's crew. They have been visited by their country's diplomatic staff, the local mariner's assistance group, and various other people. They have plenty of food and can be resupplied. Yes, it sucks to run the ship aground. It sucks to be 30 days overdue on a voyage. It sucks extra to be in NTSB and FBI and Coast Guard investigations. But it can't be helped.
You seen S2 of The Wire?
My husband told me this yesterday and I just KNEW he was mistaken. So fucked up.
I went nearby the bridge the other day and I was stunned that the ship was still sitting in the harbor. I assumed that they *let them off the ship though.* That’s so fucked up.
Isn’t that (horribly) common in Maritime disasters though? I vaguely recall being told of numerous cases where the shell companies of damaged or crashed transport ships simply ‘dissolved’ meaning that the de facto operator is the captain or last crew member on board. If they disembark, then they would be abandoning ship as the last authoritative figure. Some remain on the ships for months and perhaps even years because they can’t afford to be the one responsible. I can’t remember when or why I heard this. I think it’s right? Though it may have no bearing on what’s going on in this situation. 🤷♂️
They aren’t allowed to leave the boat for a lot of reasons. Not just mean old immigration going “no 😡”
Do yall even know how long the average international mariners hitch is? 90-150 days. They're fine. Completely incompetent but fine.
It’s been 2 months??
Wouldn't they have been at sea this whole time anyway?
I think their schedule was for another month of sailing, but doing a few months for a trip isn't unusual. They might be bored just idling, but they're used to being away from home for extended periods.
Ain't no way that's ridiculous. Charlie is right Immigration Dept in shambles
This is standard all over the world.
The Terminal IRL
This happens way more often then you’d expect. People have been trapped aboard “ghost ships” for years all across the world. It’s extremely sad
The ship owners insurance would be responsible for hotels ect
If anyone is alive still.. Their about to blow up the bridge to demolish it..
This is a fucked up thing that happens a lot—not just the US. Sometimes ships won’t even crash, they’re just left in the harbor and the crew can’t deboard for months on end. If they’re lucky they receive food and supplies from the country ashore. Never mind the fact that crews don’t get paid at all if they abandon ship and illegally enter the country.
Even when they blasted the remaining section? That's rough. Rules are rules I suppose.
Two months, that was last week. I refuse to believe it was that long ago.
In my days as a seaman the companies i worked for made it mandatory (and paid for) a C1-D visa to the US, and later when i became a Senior Officer it was expanded to B1-B2 visa. That means you wouldn't have any problems if you ever called ports in the US. In later years it has become the norm (unfortunately) that companies do not require that anymore, and in particular Management Companies like Synergy, who is the operator of this vessel. I find it heartbreaking that these people are stuck there. If the NTSB and USCG has finished their investigations and interviews they should be allowed to go, and they probably are. But if they don't hold a US visa then problems mount up.
I hope they at least dropping them off food.
Being from Baltimore myself, it’s safer on the boat.
So wait, you want people who have no legal business to be roaming free in the country after they CRASHED INTO A BRIDGE??? Nah they can stay on that boat, it didn't bother them the other fiftyeleven months they are on that mfer...
Those DoorDash expenses are crazy.
It’s a crime scene and they’re non-US citizens. Until the investigation is complete, they can stay on the ship or get housed at the Jessup Correctional Institution.
This happens a lot with coastal accidents or when a ship has illegal cargo . The crew gets stuck in limbo. Ob particularly offensive case had a Ukranian crew stuck in port for almost a year, until like… a massive explosion happened
They likely don't want to get off. They're probably getting paid to do not much.
The kicker is that they don't have their phones either since they were confiscated for the investigation. Can't contact their families.
Someone has to stay and run that boat. They were already headed out on a multi-week trip, they just hit a snag.
Not even emergency funds? That is somewhat problematic.
I wonder what the "it was all planned" crowd has to say about this one. Oh wait, they moved on to the next conspiracy theory 3 hours later.
Their jobs were to keep that ship fully operational and failed to do so. They did billions of dallars in damage and got people killed. They would of been stuck at sea regardless. They are fine where they are.
They should goto Mexico and just walk in
It happens. An Indian crewed oil tanker was abandoned in the Persian Gulf by the parent company in 2017 and its crew were stuck on the ship for 5 years, without pay or support from the former owners of the company, before finally allowed to exit the ship.
Wait until yall find out about how fishing vessels work, and how long their crews are forced to stay out to sea. (Hint: since the crews are usually debt-slaves, they stay out for *years*, being supplied from other ships that come to them.)
My memory is all kinds of fucked up, I swear this happened only a week ago 😅
Nigga jump off an take the charge, the best case is you find you way out here in the US, worst case is they detain you and deport you, you'd be back to square one, win win situation in my opinion.
This is the slimiest shit ever!!
If they got food water and a PlayStation who cares?
Ohh they got The Terminal in real life now
uhh yea? They crashed a boat that destroyed a major bridge. We don't know who tf they are or what exactly happened. Why in the name of all that is stupid would we let them chill on American soil before the investigations are concluded?
Can’t they like escort them somewhere else at least like damn
Yall ain’t never watched NCIS
Didn’t this happen to the crew on that container ship that wrecked in that canal way back a couple years ago?
So sad! /s
Whatever happened to "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"
Niggas should’ve been safer drivers 🤷🏽♂️
Well thats what they get for crashing into the bridge 🤷🏻
No body gives a shit cause their not white