The narrative describes a dramatic and daring rescue at sea involving the sinking of the Greek cruise ship Oceanos in South Africa. The ship, which was built in 1952 and was owned by the Emperor Tiki Lines, was on a seven-night voyage from Durban to Cape Town when it encountered severe weather conditions. The ship's water disposal system burst open due to a series of freak waves, causing an explosion that resulted in the loss of power and propulsion.
The ship was in serious trouble, with over 571 people on board. The crew attempted to launch lifeboats, but due to the heavy listing of the ship, it became impossible. The entertainment staff, Moss Hills and Julian Butler, took charge of the rescue, making distress calls to nearby ships. The South African Air Force set up a multi-helicopter rescue operation, which successfully rescued all 571 people.
The ship sank around 3:30 p.m. on August 4th, nearly 19 hours after the flooding began. The captain, Irv Ranas, was one of the first to be airlifted off the sinking ship. A Greek board of inquiry found him and other officers guilty, but there were conflicting stories as to what actually happened to him. The actual cause of the sinking was minimal, which was fortunate as the rate of water entering the vessel was very high and the Oceanus only had a few hours of float in the middle of the night during a harsh storm.
The story of the sinking of the Oceanus remains one of the most incredible rescue operations at sea. The entertainers and rescue crews faced an astonishing task of coordinating and performing the air rescue, all while having the lives of hundreds of scared passengers aboard a sinking ship during a storm. The crew, staff, and passengers aboard the Oceanus, as well as the ships in the area that came to the aid, were all involved in this remarkable rescue operation.
1. The MTS Oceanus was a European passenger vessel built in 1952.
2. The ship went through many different owners throughout the years and ended up with the Emperor Tiki Lines, a Greek shipping company founded in the mid-1800s.
3. The Oceanos was a relatively small ship by today's standards, holding a maximum of 550 passengers and 250 crew.
4. The ship was owned by the Upper Ot Key Lines and was being chartered on an eight-month contract by a company called TFC Torn's.
5. The Oceanus was set to start a seven-night voyage from Durban, South Africa, to Cape Town, South Africa, on August 3rd, 1991.
6. The ship was nearing the end of its seven-day cruise when it encountered very rough 40-knot winds and up to thirty foot swells.
7. The Oceanus lost power and propulsion from her two main propellers due to an explosion caused by a burst pipe in the ship's water disposal system.
8. The ship's lifeboats were lowered by the crew, not the passengers.
9. The entertainment staff took charge of the rescue and placed passengers in lifeboats.
10. The South African Air Force set up a multi-helicopter rescue operation by 6:00 a.m.
11. All 571 passengers were successfully rescued via helicopter and inflatable boats.
12. The Oceanus finally went under at around 3:30 p.m. on August 4th, nearly 19 hours after the flooding began.
13. The Greek board of inquiry found Captain Our Vaana's and other officers guilty.
14. The actual cause of the sinking was a minimal rate of water entering the vessel.
15. The story of the Oceanus remains one of the most incredible rescue operations at sea.