Radar expert keeps open mind – French fishermen blame Vitesse
Thursday 31st March 2011, 11:30AM BST.
Condor Vitesse. (Picture by Tony Rive)
A HUNDRED and one factors could have stopped Condor detecting a French fishing vessel before Monday’s fatal collision, a radar expert said yesterday.
Radio and Electronic Services managing director Robin Ayres said despite Vitesse’s powerful radars a variety of circumstances could have rendered Les Marquises invisible.
‘Everyone is very quick to condemn but it’s not that simple,’ he said. ‘There are so many variables.’
The Norman Fishermen’s Association claimed Condor was responsible for the incident because it did not slow down in the fog.
President Andre Piraud alleged the ferry had played ‘Russian roulette’ by travelling at 37 knots.
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37 knots in thick fog !!! That is ludicrous. that says it all really.
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n.b. 37 knots is just shy of 43mph
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Wait till official inquiry outcome.
Speculation is just guess work, pointless, leads to rumour and truth distortion.
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He is built for that speed and has all the equipment to deal with those weather conditions, I have never heard of a 747 having to slow down and they have more fog than anyone. Beginning to sound like Condor has already been tried and found guilty before the investigation has been completed.
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I can just imagine the outcry at the delays if Condor started to double or triple its journey times in foggy conditions.
I wonder what difference going slower in thick fog would actually have made anyway.
Surely if visibility was as poor as has been reported then the fishing boat wouldn’t have been seen until it was too late whether Vitesse was doing 37 knots or 10 knots, and just as fatal damage to the fishing boat would have been done whether Vitesse had been doing 37 knots or 10 knots.
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A couple of questions
Would you have a picnic on the M6?
Would you have a picnic on the M6 in thick fog?
Would you then blame the ensuing accident on the fact that the drivers were going too fast??
Nope thought not!
Lets wait until the outcome of the inquiry before we start bricking Condors windows!
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It’s very sad for the French fisherman’s family, but he quite simply shouldn’t have been in the shipping lines in thick fog.
Everyone is quick to put the blame on Condor, when in reality, there weren’t in the wrong place!
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There has been coment on the fact that the French fisherman was in the shipping lane. This is nonsence. I have been fishing and sailing in the channel islands for over 60 years and all my family are fishermen from Sark and Guernsey. We were fishing these waters before there was fast boats or even powered boats. It is the Captains responsability at all times to sail his vessel in a safe and responsable way. As to the French fishgerman be careful how you tlak about them we have a good relationship with the French ( because before the English arrrived we were French) and we donbt want to loose that.
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peter
You started by saying that it was nonsense to say the unfortunate fishing boat was in a shipping lane.
Where is your evidence that this allegation is nonsense?
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Stephen John, where is your evidence that it is?
It is not a shipping lane, just because Condor put a line on their route planner does not make it a shipping lane.
Professional fishermen would be aware that Condor use the route and would not set gear there, however they would expect to be able to steam across the regular path without being rammed by a vessel doing 37 knots in thick fog.
Condor do themselves steam across the offical shipping lanes in the channel on every trip to and from the UK, there would be a very different result if Vittese slammed into the side of a tanker at 37 knots.
Who’s fault would that be in your opinion?
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Steve, knowing Stephen John he was not challenging the assertion that there is no shipping lane (or that the fishing boat was not in it) but was seeking clarification from someone who may or may not know some relevant facts.
As for crossing the shipping lanes when going to the UK, I imagine that Condor treat them as a motorist would treat any junction.
There is little point in any of us trying to reach conclusions about what did happen or what either boat should have done differently. Let’s wait for the results of the official investigations.
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Yes everyone should wait for the enquiry and not jump to conclusions, but 37 knots in thick fog makes it very difficult to be objective.
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everyone is quick to blame the condor here, but to be honest its not the quietest boat in the world. what procedures were going on in the fishing boat.
personally if i was on the fishing boat id of been thinking i can hear the condor, i cant see it, then id be looking at the radar, on the radio trying to find its position to ensure there was no collision.
just my thoughts
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Shipping lane or not it is clearly a route used by Condor and possibly other vessels. I would guess that the time when Condor is due to pass that point is no secret. I would ensure that I was not on a level crossing when the train was due.
It’s a tragic loss of life but I struggle to see how Condor is to blame.
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Nothing wrong with doing that speed in the fog as long as the captains happy, speed should be reduced around areas known to have fishing boats working and which has a lot of marker flags which could show up as a small vessel on radar like the area this incident happened.
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Let’s all hope the Captain was happy then!. The rules at sea state that all vessels should move at an appropriate speed for the prevailing conditions,and as it was thick fog at the time,was it prudent to be travelling flat out? This is not the first time that Conder travelling at speed, has come within twenty feet of a local sailing boat, in this case just outside Fermain Bay!
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A.J condor was not traveling flat out the speed was reduced.
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