The link to the redacted version of the Navy's examination of the deaths by drowning of two Navy SEALs while boarding a dhow last January.
There are 100 pages mostly about buoyancy issues, but what jumped out at me near the top was the major eff-up that left the 60-foot dhow rolling beam-on in 2 meters waves. The first boarding teams got aboard successfully, but with nobody at the helm, the dhow was left dead in the water and rolling like a pig, which increased the danger to the SEALs who were boarding by multiples.
The redacted version doesn't have all the video-audio links, but I'd sure love to know what commands were given to the dhow prior to boarding. I have been boarded at sea numerous times by the US Coast Guard. They ALWAYS told me to "maintain your course and speed." This order will come over the VHF radio, or by loud-hailer. Then they'll send their RIB (or RHIB if you prefer) against my stern quarter, and the Coasties climb aboard.
I know it's different boarding a possibly hostile "VOI" (vessel of interest) but the point is the same. The vessel being boarded is similar to a bicycle. Steady while rolling forward, unstable when stopped. What commands were given to the dhow? (in Arabic by an interpreter.) Were they told "Everybody move to the aft deck!" as seems to be the case? The helm was left unmanned, the engine in neutral. Soon enough it coasted to a stop and then turned beam on to the seas.
Or was the dhow told, "Maintain your course and speed. The captain must stay at the wheel, all others move to the aft deck." This is what SHOULD have happened. This is how the USCG does it every day, every week. Was there confusion based on the commands given in Arabic? No boat skipper of a low-freeboard 60-footer would want his boat dead in the water, beam on to the 2M seas where it could even capsize and sink. (The rolling can increase with each wave if the seas and the boat's hull are in phase.)
I'm just amazed that the report spent dozens of pages on buoyancy issues, and barely mentioned how the boat wound up DIW and rolling in beam seas. This is why 2 sailors were lost, aside from the buoyancy issues. "Captain, maintain your course and speed." This is basic seamanship. It's a HUGE oversight to barely mention it the report.
Your remarks about the agility and freedom of action of the USCG reminded me of something I wrote a few days ago.
"47 Seconds"
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25200315/tf-3-ci_redacted_hiviz_preapproval-17mb.pdf
The link to the redacted version of the Navy's examination of the deaths by drowning of two Navy SEALs while boarding a dhow last January.
There are 100 pages mostly about buoyancy issues, but what jumped out at me near the top was the major eff-up that left the 60-foot dhow rolling beam-on in 2 meters waves. The first boarding teams got aboard successfully, but with nobody at the helm, the dhow was left dead in the water and rolling like a pig, which increased the danger to the SEALs who were boarding by multiples.
The redacted version doesn't have all the video-audio links, but I'd sure love to know what commands were given to the dhow prior to boarding. I have been boarded at sea numerous times by the US Coast Guard. They ALWAYS told me to "maintain your course and speed." This order will come over the VHF radio, or by loud-hailer. Then they'll send their RIB (or RHIB if you prefer) against my stern quarter, and the Coasties climb aboard.
I know it's different boarding a possibly hostile "VOI" (vessel of interest) but the point is the same. The vessel being boarded is similar to a bicycle. Steady while rolling forward, unstable when stopped. What commands were given to the dhow? (in Arabic by an interpreter.) Were they told "Everybody move to the aft deck!" as seems to be the case? The helm was left unmanned, the engine in neutral. Soon enough it coasted to a stop and then turned beam on to the seas.
Or was the dhow told, "Maintain your course and speed. The captain must stay at the wheel, all others move to the aft deck." This is what SHOULD have happened. This is how the USCG does it every day, every week. Was there confusion based on the commands given in Arabic? No boat skipper of a low-freeboard 60-footer would want his boat dead in the water, beam on to the 2M seas where it could even capsize and sink. (The rolling can increase with each wave if the seas and the boat's hull are in phase.)
I'm just amazed that the report spent dozens of pages on buoyancy issues, and barely mentioned how the boat wound up DIW and rolling in beam seas. This is why 2 sailors were lost, aside from the buoyancy issues. "Captain, maintain your course and speed." This is basic seamanship. It's a HUGE oversight to barely mention it the report.