The Zeebrugge Ferry Disaster | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror
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- Опубліковано 21 тра 2020
- "On the 6th of March 1987 the MS Herald of Free Enterprise - an eight-deck car and passenger ferry - capsized..."
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My boss was on that boat as a child. Lost his father and sister. We just happened to be talking about his wedding and he said that none of his family were there. I asked why. He then told the most absolutely tragic and terrifying story. Absolutely insane.
I wanna give him a hug.
That’s so awful, to witness or be in such a tragic event as a child and have to live on after it when other members of your family didn’t. Can only imagine the ptsd he endured after this event. Poor man 😔
@@kamallb4650
Terrible tragedy, condolences to the victims families.
RIP his dad and sister.
I'm not sure if I can completely believe this story you just wanted to gain attention I think because I've seen this happen so much on Ms Estonia and I'm not sure if I can believe it with this and could I really believe that they could be over 9 billion people in the world the 190 people to die
I think I finally figured out what makes your videos particularly so frightning. I think it's how.. Factual, you are. You aren't trying to make it creepy or horrific, nor are you making jokes in bad taste. These are just the facts of how these things happened, in a calm, stern, factual voice. The facts themselves are the horror. I love it.
And its real stuff that happened
That took you how long, Sherlock?
@@TheStreifenpulli unnecessary
@@TheStreifenpulli uniquely rude and unnecessary
@@gamergril5940 cry me a river.
Might I recommend the sinking of the Sewol Ferry. Corruption and cowardice led to hundreds of passengers, mostly high school students, losing their lives. I've only seen a handful of people cover it and it's without a doubt one of the saddest stories I've ever heard.
I was just thinking of that. Schoolkids on holiday...as the vessel sank children were told to stay put...sealing their fate. I was horrified.
Tbh- so many other ppl have covered that tragic ferry capsize. You’re right. That was downright gross negligence and greed. I remember those families desperately waiting for word of survivors. Only to hear those primal screams of mothers in raw human agony that their child was gone. How horrible.
But you can already find lots of videos on that.
That was an incredibly sad story but the captain was found guilty and imprisoned. The owners, I think, escaped punishment.
it was such a disgusting instance, im glad that those involved were charged (and kpop group bts made a in commemoration a few years later called spring day)
not just the sinking of the ship itself, but the conspiracy that shadows it that led to the resignation of south korea's prime minister at that time, involving the cult yongsaenggyo, the possibility that the sinking was an intentional act, etc etc etc. i know it sounds batshit crazy but if you actually read up on it it actually becomes plausible
Pulling crushed or waterlogged bodies out of a ship a month after they drowned must not have been a pleasant experience. I hope the search team are okay after what they must have seen.
No doubt they were removed in pieces. Arms and legs probably almost fell off when pulled.
@@fennelson5737 I'd cross my fingers they held together for the most part. I'd assume after a month though there's a chance that's not the case for everyone
People in body recovery, medical examiners etc, get used to it.
Yes, I recall from news coverage at the time that many of the victims became trapped in the ship's restaurant and in port side cabins, so they didn't float out despite March and April of 1987 being stormy with high seas that pummeled the wreck. Recovery of bodies was one of the main reasons they refloated the Herald whole rather than cutting her up or dropping bombs on her as was initially discussed (the sandbar where she sank is slap bang in the middle of one of the busiest shipping lanes on the planet). The righting operation, carried out by Smit Tak, was much more expensive but also respectful of the dead. A stark contrast to the way that survivors and families of the deceased were treated by P&O at the time.
I have to say that as horrible as it sounds, you become desensitised to human remains reasonably quickly when you encounter them regularly. Earlier this year, a guy died of a heart attack in his bathtub and wasn't reported missing until 6 weeks later. When we found him, his bath was basically human minestrone, and while it was pretty unpleasant to look at and smell, I wouldn't describe it as particularly upsetting. How traumatising an event is has more to do with the emotional impact than how disgusting it was (in my opinion.)
The most frightening part of this story is how easily a judge could decide that nobody had to go to jail.
@That Guy it's a big big club and we ain't in
@That Guy cope harder. trump lost.
@That Guy coping well?
@That Guy It's hard for judges to do anything about the election when no one actually alleged election fraud in court. Usually it was things like the poll watchers weren't close enough, or laws that had been changed several elections prior are now Unconstitutional when they weren't in the primary or 2018. Judges aren't allowed to rule on issues not brought before them, and the case for fraud was never made in court.
A lot of people have made a lot of assertions about the proof. But that proof never materialized. It simply wasn't shown to the people who could have done something about it. Maybe that proof was never real and there was no fraud. Maybe there was fraud but Trump hired incompetents who fought among themselves for clout rather than do their jobs. Either way, Trump is out and there's nothing judges could have done to save him because no coherent legal argument was made that would have permitted them to do so.
Many judges are corrupt. We've seen it for years, esp the past year. And with the most corrupt people in America now "in charge", it'll just get worse.
I think it's important to note that Mark Stanley (R.I.P) was exhausted after working non-stop for over 18 hours or so. He went to his cabin for what he intended to be a short break. It's no wonder the poor guy fell asleep. He never got over the guilt of it. Relatives of victims did forgive him, but he never forgave himself.
He could have asked someone to close the doors for him. I use to work construction shut downs on 16 hour shifts for weeks at a time and then had to drive 2.5 hours home. No excuses are expectable.
@@jimclark6256 He likely didn't intend to fall asleep during that short break. Given it was intended to be a short break, I assume he went to have a short sit-down before going to do his job, but was so exhausted that he fell asleep. He couldn't have asked someone to close the doors for him if he expected to be there to do it himself, and then at the time that he was supposed to be there, he was unconscious. I don't blame him, I blame the company and the unsafe work culture that they encouraged.
honestly, I blame the culture in the company, especially the people getting all the money while people like Stanley stayed up and working exhausted for 18 hours just so the higher ups could get richer.
How sad he was never able to forgive himself, he was exhausted and overworked (the company's fault for forcing him into this position)🕊❣🌹
@@jimclark6256 Why would you ask someone to do something you're planning on doing in a couple minutes yourself anyway? Sorry but his reason (not excuse) is perfectly valid and he carries no blame.
The first officer however, whose job it was to ensure the doors had been closed but decided to just assume they had been, is the one who has no excuse. That way just sheet laziness.
The last bodies weren't retrieved for a month. Imagine your daughter was on that ferry and you saw in the news what had happened, but her body was still there for a month on the boat, in the water, decomposing, and there was nothing you could do. What a cruel thing.
That thought alone is mind-boggling that is so scary to think of
And a daily flotilla of boats, ships and ferry’s passing by, for a month, just staring.
My grandfather was on there, my parents survived. They never spoke about it much, but they hate ferrys now. My mum said a lady made an off comment about water on the floor and it gave my parents enough time to get out. They said P&O were asshoe and didn't pay shit. Messed up story, I was 2 when it happened but I was being babysat that night by my grandmother. Guess I was lucky, hard to really make sense of something like that.
@@tonypepperoni3679 did your grandfather pass?
Often bodies can't be retrieved at all :( Like in the case of Estonia. Similar accident (car deck flooded) but bigger ship in a stormy night.
My mother, heavily pregnant with me, was due to get on this ship but missed it due to being late and had to get on the next ferry. I was born on 19th March 1987, had she not been late that day, i likely wouldn’t have been.
My mate was due to get on this too but as a child he caused them to miss the boat (can't remember reason). But even though this happened his mum was still pissed about missing the boat 20+ years later..
Your friend’s mom is an idiot.
@@amancalleddave.3547 Really?????????!!!!!!!!!😵😲
@@amancalleddave.3547 wow you have the exact bday as my oldest brother
I was there.
I was the bough door
My dad helped out in the rescue for passengers as his boat was entering when the ship capsized so they stopped to help get survivors off
Fair play man, 👍
I bet he had knackers bigger than Basketballs 🏀..!!👍
Your dad is a legend, my respect ✌️✌️
@Bri Ham it aint doe but u have ur opinion
What a hero. Good man.
Complacency is such a dangerous, and totally preventable, killer.
That's why the government answer to each tragedy is always to improve engineering rather than better training of people - people can't be trusted so much as safety mechanisms like alarms, better control panels, and interlocks. Admittedly however, mechanical controls have been neglected or overridden.
@@craftpaint1644 Nonsense with better leadership and discipline such accidents are totally preventable. You don't even need training you just need people that give a shit.
@@craftpaint1644 absolute rubbish , I've worked on trawlers 20 plus years incident free . Mechanical systems , alarms etc are only as good as the people operating/maintaining/watching them . No room for complacency at sea .
Well said.
And don't forget greed
The most depressing part of the videos such as this one is the fact that the company/corporation responsible is ALMOST NEVER punished. Their greed, their incompetence - ultimately rewarded. They can keep on cutting corners and promoting incompetence. They know they won't go to jail.
If my family were on that boat the dude in charge would get a midnight molotov through their bedroom window.
@@trequor Congrats, you're now arrested for attempted murder and he's still alive
This is commonplace. Men are killed in industrial accident all the time, and the only penalty is a fine. No executives or owners EVER go to jail.
It took a while for the ship to be moved. The Herald of Free Enterprise was still in the water during August 1987, as I passed it on a ferry on my way out of Zeebrugge.
It did indeed. Took a while to get towed, and then was repainted and renamed before being hauled to Thailand for scrapping. It must have been a kind of ghostly experience to pass it on a ferry of your own!
@@FascinatingHorror it was!
@@FascinatingHorror you say , taiwan in the vid ...
There are videos of the salvage operation made by Smit Tak, the Dutch company which as a result of the experience gained has become one of the leading salvors of damaged and wrecked vessels in European waters. Like the Costa Concordia and despite initial fears she may have to be dynamited due to her position in a major shipping lane, the Herald was removed intact, refloated and towed into port despite being an obvious constructive total loss. More recent salvage operations in UK waters (Riverdance, Napoli, Tricolor) have used giant cables as saws to cut the wrecks into sections allowing them to he lifted onto barges, but obviously this wouldn't be appropriate with a ship that still contained dozens of inaccessible bodies that could be dislodged and float out of the hulk.
Bet that filled you with confidence
“floors become walls, walls become floors” damn
@Jason The ferry came to rest on a sand back stopping it from sinking fully. Seconds from disaster have a full episode on it, you can find it here on UA-cam.
Nothing near as severe as this, but as a man who has been in an overturned bus crash I can tell you its a really strange and frightening experience
Honestly, that sentence gave me such a strong visual that I had to pause the video and take a moment to process it.
@@elizabethtrudgill3567 wtf
Getting out of a capsized ship is almost impossible. Especially when you are somewhere in the middle.
"Judge told the jury not to convict anyone." Can I get an explainer on that, please?
Yeah, that had me scratching my head too.
probably paid off by the company.
yeah that was skipped over
the british judicial system is a joke
Hard to find information but it was the first time "Corporate Manslaughter" was tried as a crime in English and Welsh courts, a complete precedent but there was structural and evidential errors in the Prosecution and the Judge wasn't satisfied in the safety of any convictions the inquest might have led to.
Laws don't matter. Judge should be gulag'd.
as a survivor who was there the night of the capsize i'd like to thank you for a spot on facts documentary.i feel so sorry for mark stanley. les sable ect. like iv always told people when they ask what was it like .i always said that no one set out to kill over 200 (because there is evidence more died that night than the official number of dead ).mark stanley died last year.he was only in his 50's
the guilt he must have felt afterwards .My hart has always gone out to him.
R.I.P. TO ALL WHO PERISHED AND ALL MY OTHER SURVIVORS.XXXX
Glad to see you made it out alive, man.
And yeah I can't ever imagine the guilt he felt once all was said and done. Poor guy.
I wish i never watched this. Every year we go on the spirit of Tasmania... Basically a sister vessel. I always worry because we take small children with us. One time we travelled when there was no car door because in a storm a few days earlier it was damaged when it collided with the car ramp
How are you doing now?
maybe if you were the relative of someone not as fortunate as yourself to have survived, you would not be so forgiving
people died because others failed to do their jobs, no other reason
and to add insult to unjustly and death, nobody was found guilty
Wherever you are, look at exits - including windows, and think "what if I gotta get out of here ?"
Yes I hope im 60 stories up.
In hotel rooms count the number of doorways to the stairs
My hubby does that. Bathroom too
The particularly terrifying thing about this one is that it probably wouldn't have helped you. The whole event was maybe two minutes, most of which the passengers spent being tossed around like rag dolls. And if you were on the facedown side of the ship then the emergency exits would not have helped at all.
As a person who has anxiety and panic disorder, I'm always looking for an exit lol
This was 6 days before I was born, my father was in the merchant navy and so was my mother and both worked on the Herald but due to being pregnant with me and so close to due date she was not working. My father lost his life this day, they said it was probably due to the fall but ultimately would have drowned if he was knocked out. My mother said David Lewry the captain at the time is my god father and I do remember getting birthday/Xmas cards from that name as a kid. But...
What a sad and so very avoidable day, thank you for the full and to me raw details about this. And rest in peace to all those who died on the Herald. You will not be forgotten.
Sincerely very sorry for your loss.
Damn this is very much a lie I can't wait to see more! Even tho you tried to make a detailed lie I'm a pioneer of seeing this...
@@cheems4061 Silence, child
@@cheems4061 lmfao you should delete all your cringe actual little kid videos before someone saves them all to make fun of you in the future
Dude, four people already posted this comment.
This tragedy happened when you was at school in Brighton. (Aged 14) One of my school friends, his brother and parents were onboard, my friend and his brother survived but he sadly lost their parents. I will always remember the story he told me:
They had gone to France on a day trip and had boarded the ferry for home, they had gone to the restaurant for a meal but my friend and his brother didn’t like anything on the menu so his dad gave them some money to go and get a burger from the bar on deck.
When tragedy struck my friend and his brother were thrown into sea and ultimately rescued, his parents sadly drowned in the restaurant with many others. The boys went on to be raised by their grandparents…. A very sad time 😢
My friend was on this he told me the whole story and one thing that sticks with me is when the ship was on its side he was using chairs to smash windows on side of ship that were now the ceiling , desperately lifting people through the broken window to stand on top of ship to wait for help . Rip all that died
Some on my dads childhood friends were in this ship and their dads they were returning from Germany back to England but he told me about something how some didn’t go bc some got drunk and had a fight so sad
@@fredplayz8610 must of been terrible witnessing it
I don't understand why they didn't pump out the extra ballast they took on to load. That was obviously a huge contributing factor as well
Because it took over an hour to do. They were pumping it out at the time of the capsize.
Because their time was more valuable than safety. This whole incident was a string of negligence and/or incompetence.
Probably wouldn't have been that big a problem had the bow doors been closed.
@@prinsesbibitje That's the answer. "If they die, they die. But if we're late? Gasp! Heaven's me! That's actual MONEY, right there!!!"
@@medler2110 That's possible, but if they had taken the time to fully pump out the water it seems much more likely a crewmember would have noticed the bow doors and closed them before departing
I was engineer on a ro-ro frequently visiting Zeebrugge. We used to call those T-ferries an accident waiting to happen. Every time they left they did so full speed astern with their bow wide open, every goddamn time. Then a 180 degree turn just inside the breakwater and then full speed ahead out. We never, ever removed one single mooring line before every light on the bridge turned green conforming ramps and ports closed and locked. And we only carried cargo.
Much respect for using correct maritime lingo and giving these stories the gravity they deserve. You never revel in such gross loss of life and always tell the story in an impartial way without passing judgement. I am also impressed by how you refuse to go through the standard youtube rigmarole of asking for likes and subscribers, even though it probably hurts you metrics. In these videos it would not be appropriate. You have earned yourself a subscriber today.
I was working that night on the Free Enterprise 6 as a chef, also coming back from Zeebrugge. My 2 brothers where also on 2 other Townsend ferries coming from Zeebrugge too. I'll never forget as our Captain announced over the crew tannoy system that one of our ferries had capsized just outside the harbour. No name of the vessel was given, so i didn't even know at that time if one of my brothers was on the boat that sunk. We were around 30 minutes ahead of the FE8, yet a discussion had been made to carry on with our journey rather than turn around to offer aid. We were told to resume passenger services and not to mention what we knew. so for almost a further 4 hours we tried to carry on as if nothing had happened, yet many of us had family and friends working all over the fleet. Luckily when we arrived in Dover it was the end of our shift, so i was able to drive to my Mums house in Folkestone, it was only when i arrived that i actually knew both of my brothers were safe, but with the news of it being the FE8, told me that i had indeed lost many of my colleges or rather friends, that worked in the galley of the ship (none survived). I said goodbye to almost 20 friends that night. The next few weeks after was very painful for all the crew as we passed by the FE8 six times a day, seeing the boat on its side. I lost my cool one day with around 30 passengers on deck, all taking photos of the capsized ferry, calling them vultures. For which I received a Captains logging (3 and you're out). Yes i deserved it as i wasn't professional enough, but it was so hard seeing that 6 times a day, day in day out for a month. I'll never forget that night, nor will i forget those friends and passengers that lost their lives.
Thank you for covering this, however i do feel you left out so much, but then even i know that much was covered up .it is what it is. So thank you.
I'm Folkestone born and bred. I was 16 in 1987, and remember this so vividly. Can't imagine how terrible it must've been for you all to have to sails backwards and forwards past the ship every day.
@@susi-emily It was heartbreaking, and even more so when I could see passengers all on deck taking photo's as we sailed past multiple times each and every day. At the time I just felt like those people were some kind of vultures , snapping a trophy for their photo albums, with no care for those people around them that had lost so many. I just wasn't able to comprehend it all at the time. But time is a healer as they say, but I'll never forget. 💜
My Dad lost two of his friends/colleagues in this disaster.
The ferry was renamed Flushing Range, and apparently it was used for a while in Taiwan before it was scrapped.
I dont think she was ever returned to passenger service; she was a constructive total loss - I.e. too badly damaged to be worth repairing. (Mainly due to the engines and other mechanical elements, the most expensive parts of any ship, requiring replacement after over a month of being submerged in the filthy Channel water). Ships often get a new name for their final trips to the wreckers, especially when they're notorious in some way.
My condolences to your Dad.
She was never put back into service. She went to the far East as the flushing range alongside the Gaelic ferry for scrapping
@@rich_edwards79 Youll probably never see this but im wondering why? Is it a thing to respect the ship or is it something to prevent stealing "keepsakes" of cursed metal or something? Why rename it just to scrap it? (or do the scrappers just know they can pay less for accidents)
@@charmolettafranquestafiestayam It's probably something to do with ownership of the vessel in question.
I’ve known quite a few ferry workers over the years having grown up in Dover and they all tell tales about the drinking culture of the staff on those ferries. Staff received massive discounts on booze and often got very drink before or after their shifts. It was the done thing amongst the lads that worked there, and new starters were often ostracised if they didn’t join the drinking culture. Seems mad now, but it was just the way it was back then.
you think that was bad , my father who worked in the NHS (a London Hospital, (1970's)) had it's own bar, social club and it wasn't unusual to see Surgeon's completely blotto at Lunch , with Surgery in the Afternoon.
Absolutely bang on!. That's exactly what it wa like.
Once upon a time, my work was to assist truckers to deliver beverage to bars. Some of those started with beer at 7 in the morning during their shifts. And finished around 11 to take a few glasses of pastis and took their cars home. Back then ...
Witnessed it, Ian. As a young kid way back in the late 1970s I took a ferry back to Zeebrugge after leave from BAOR. I have to say the staff were very friendly. Even invited me to their pub when we all disembarked. Heavy session. I didn't pay for a single drink and they even took me to the train station afterwards. Didn't see a problem at the time and I'll always be grateful, but I see it all differently now.
This is still how a lot of workplaces operate. And those without drunks normally supplement with pill abuse instead.
This is heartbreaking. My condolences to the families of the lost.
Prior to the Spirit class of ferries, of which the Herald of free enterprise was the second of three, ferries all had a visor type bow door, which was clearly visible from the bridge.
On these ships, the outer bow doors slide aside, and are completely invisible from the bridge. Townsend Thoresen chose not to install indicator lights on the bridge, either due to cost, or oversight.
As background, I worked for Townsend's for a number of years, and knew the layout of the Spirit ships like the back of my hand. I worked on the Pride's maiden voyage.
I've never forgiven them for the friends I lost, or the hell they put people through.
The second mate should have done time, and so should whoever approved the design of the ship.
IMHO.
"so should whoever approved the ship's design"
There you go. System error. There may have been human error as well, but without the design flaw it's unlikely that the accident would have taken place.
In fact let's back up further. If the loading mechanism had reached the upper deck, none of the rest would have happened. Did no one question that bit?
@@moragmacgregor6792 Firstly, the ship was designed specifically for the Dover / Calais route, with new double width loading ramps. The berth in Zeebrugge wasn't designed to accommodate vessels of the type, and the state of the tide necessitated ballasting forward.
The fact remains that it was possible to sail with the bow doors wide open, with absolutely no indication ANYWHERE inside the ship. For something as critical as the bow doors, this is inexcusable. Relying purely on human intervention is designing IN a point of failure.
Mark Stanley didn't choose to fall asleep in his cabin, but people working shifts often grab a quick forty winks if the opportunity arises. The second mate chose to abandon his duties on the main deck and take up his position for casting off. He was the only "Safety" device, and he failed. By choice.
There's an old nautical saying that springs to mind: For want of a ha'penny worth of tar, the ship was lost.
It's a crime that 193 lives were lost to prove the point!
@@sarkybugger5009 Totally agree, man. You said what I was trying to say.
@@sarkybugger5009 You're wrong on 2 counts. There was a panel located on each vehicle deck to indicate that the 12 clam door locking pins and 2 cleats were correctly engaged. In addition, there was a handrail that ran around the outside of each clam door. On the Pride they were painted white but on the Herald they were orange. The back of the handrails were visible from each bridge wing, even at night, so it was possible to know if the doors were open although I grant you that you had no positive proof that they were shut.
The reason that no warning lights were fitted on the bridge was because it was felt that they would be relied upon rather than make a physical check. Nobody thought that professional seafarers would take the ship to sea with a bloody great hole in the front!
You say that you have never forgiven "them". Who is "them"? The deck rating for not shutting the doors? The 2 deck officers for not giving a positive report that the doors were secure or taking positive steps to ensure that the deck scuppers were properly cleared during maintenance? The captains for knowing that shortcuts were frequently made but not insisting a positive report was given? The superintendents who had received requests for bridge bow door repeaters but chose not to install them? The board of directors for backing their superintendents decision? The shareholders for demanding maximum returns on their investments?
It's so easy to blame everybody else. We were all guilty to a greater or lesser degree, you and me included. The real tragedy is that the same attitudes are alive and kicking today and history WILL repeat itself. Do not be fooled by the modern piss and efficiency image these people project.
And the official death count was 194. The last one was what was left of a stewardess washed up on the beach in Denmark 4 months later.
@@TheRunereaper Thank you for your clarification regarding indicator panels. I was unaware of a repeater on E deck. Obviously the control panel on the main deck had lights, but you were also stood less than 20 feet from the doors, so the fact they were wide open would be unmissable. The company's point about indicator lights was specious. If they hadn't relied on "professional seamen", and instead fitted dumb lights, we wouldn't be discussing the Herald disaster.
"Them" is the deck officer who failed to check the bow doors were closed, the Superintendents who ignored the requests for bridge repeaters, and possibly the Directors.
I have never sailed with P&O (Townsend Thoresen as was) since, nor shall I.
Take care.
My Uncle Peter Still was chief diver on a Royal Navy mine sweeper in the English Channel that day. He and his team were the first divers to start pulling bodies from the overturned hull. He did recover many corpses and will never forget that day. He received a Queens Commendation medal for Bravery afterwards. He’s still alive and doesn’t talk about it much. RIP
My uncle used to be a diver and did maintenance in the area. He once told me "if you knew what was going on beneath the surface with those ferries, you'd never get on one again"
what happens??
What happens!!!!
tell us, please!
@@AlexS-oj8qf Mans really said this and dipped 😑
Thanks for the heads-up.
This reminds me of the MS Estonia, although the cause of the flooding and nature of incident was totally different, the Estonia also sank in a VERY short amount of time after its bow clip came off, exposing the car deck to the waves. Those people had no chance; either your in a place where you can escape, or that’s it nothing can be done pitch black and world turned upside down. RIP to all of those who died this way.
Yeah but this one did capsize almost instantly even faster than Estonia in 90 seconds while it took minutes for Estonia to develop the list so that some people lived when they acted immedietly after the noises of bow visor falling off were heard and Estonia ran lights to the end while Herald didn't. Herald in general is obviously a much more luckier incident since the sand bar stopped the ship from sinking fully and the weather wasn't so dramatic. Half of the initial about 300 survivors that got out of Estonia died in the freezing and storming water leaving only 137 actual survivors.
I thought exactly the same 👍
@BOB K
Or you never use ferries!
pay extra for a flight
or take trains!
"Here is an account of the incident from survivor, Simon Oswald..."
**Rolos Christmas Commercial**
I thought I was the only one!
Mine was Softsoap 😕🙃
Fucking Pandora bracelets for me. All the time! I don’t wear any jewellery, not even a watch.
I got a McDonalds McRib commercial......SMH
I got a mobile game hustle castle, where I man is hanging above a spikes and is trying to escape. Actually made me laugh. Quite fitting.
My grandad was on this ship, never met him, he died before I had been born. He was a lorry driver, and probably asleep while it happened.
Years later my grandma got dementia and eventually her memory reverted to thinking he was still alive. We'd visit her in the nursing home and she'd ask us where he was, and say she'd excited for him to come home.
Was definitely not expecting to see this come up on a channel I had just been binging, has changed my reaction of watching these from interested to sad.
I know this is an older video but i’m so glad I’ve found your channel
I’m very interested in learning about these events but it’s hard to find videos that don’t contain commentary and filler if that makes sense? You go straight to the point and I love your narration. Keep up the good work!
I agree!!
I agree with the anime girl!
This and Disasters of the Century. That's another very good channel.
@@kelf114 Horror Stories is great as well, though some of his videos show the tragic events without censoring anything so viewer discresion is advised.
Thanks for the recommendations everyone
I was booked to sail on this ferry, along with my Mum, step dad and baby brother. Due to an issue with swapping my stepdads car number plates from US military to German to import his car (we were returning to live in the UK but he was employed as a civilian with the US military) we had to delay moving back by 3 days. We sailed on The H.o.F.E. sister ferry, passing The H.o.F.E. as we did so. I think the angels were looking down on us that caused the delay, I'd hate to think what would have happened otherwise. The sinking stays with me to this day, it's something I will never forget. R.I.P. to all the souls lost that tragic night and following day.
Sure you were.
HOFE sister ships were not on Zeebrugge route, the SOFE & POFE were on Dover Calais route. You were probably on one of the older FE class vessels.
@@thegoony Correct. I sailed on the SOFE from Dover to Calais two weeks after this happened.
A similar incident that you could possibly look into is the sinking of the Philippine ship, MV Princess of the Stars.
The ship was allowed to sail through bad weather because the authorities were confident it would withstand heavy rain. Unfortunately, the typhoon, causing the bad weather, unexpectedly changed course making its path intersect with the ship's course. Because of the typhoon, it took rescuers 3 days to reach the scene. It took 2 more years for the wreck to be cut open to access more bodies. The image of the ship's bow, sticking upwards from the water while the rest of the ship was invisible, was very haunting.
I remember watching this unfold on TV at the time. Such a horrendous tragedy.
RIP to those who lost their lives.
1500 new subs overnight? Someone has figured out that youtube algorithm! You deserve all this success!
Much more likely is that started to rent or buy *bots* .
Martha Hanley oh really? I don’t think so.
@@SignedOff402 I love this channel and am happy the algorithms have given it success. However, yes buying bot from bot farms is common. But all don't don't it.
No worries here.
Noe Angel this is because people are watching recommended videos
@@SignedOff402 And yes, Google (UA-cam) appears to improved the AI and their own bots to give each topic to similar. Now there is a new feature. It even HAS the topics you like more. Click on that and it will automatically give similar topic videos.
"Here's an account from Simon Osborne..."
Ad starts playing. "Tired of paying too much for your prescriptions?"
Wait...what?
I got Borat!!
Ads are a nuisance
Lol directly in the middle, it would appear.
I got a weird one for a hands-free sink faucet?
I got a college ads and a Audi one's.
"Here's an account from Simon Osborne... Does your head hurt from working all night?"
e.e
My mom was supposed to be on the boat to go and meet my dad, but was late and missed it. I cherish her and my dad everyday. Love your family, always.
I was on Townsend Thorensen ferry in the early eighties (can’t remember the ship’s name) crossing to the other side of the channel. The only memory I have of that trip was the ‘horror’ as the ship neared the port. I was on the car deck waiting to board our coach and the bow doors opened some way from port. Seeing the vast expanse of sea so near so close right in front of us was very scary indeed, something I have never forgotten til this day. Apparently, bow doors were opened early to help with the turnaround times of the ship arriving and leaving the ports. The disaster would have happened sooner or later. The eighties as a whole saw a whole host of tragedies. From Piper Alpha in the North Sea, King’s Cross tube, Clapham Junction, Bradford Football stadium, Hillsborough football to name but a few. So many died.
Why in so many of these cases are the people responsible absolved? I find that very disturbing.
Not absolved, law courts have to work on proof and watertight evidence (no pun intended).
There are always many causal factors, as stated. Some of the negligent might have died, so what point in persecuting the dead. Some did not check their subordinates, ie the supervisor and the Captain. Some causes were managerial, ie The CEO and Board. Some is slack corporate culture. When a whole chain of command fails, the higher it goes, the bigger the whitewash. If it ever gets to a political level (ie, The Minister might be liable) then everybody gets off cos "it's too complex to point the finger". That's the game. Also, insurance strings pull many legalistic outcomes, e.g. Lloyds of London avoiding payouts through "breach of policy fineprint" There's always big players behind the scenes. One little door staff boy LOOKS LIKE the baddie, but that's just where the focus was pushed.
The thing is, if I was caught asleep at work I would be sacked, so how the fk do these ppl who have very important jobs and peoples live's in their hands get away with this crap, and as for the hearing what a waste of time that is. What's the point if you can get away with peoples lives and their deaths through negligence, and no punishment. That's done my head in that has
Dave Hooper British culture.
Stay calm... duh..
Accidents will always happen, I'm sorry to say.
Human error this time, at least it made for safer working.
Clearly you've never been a seafarer have you. Never worked sixteen on eight off week after week, been trapped on a steel box for months away from family. It's exhausting. Don't blame the man, blame the system.
So that’s the take away... the guy asleep at the time.... not the guy at the door who left it open, walked away thinking the guy nowhere in sight the entire time would just show up and close the door. Instead of just closing the door and going to the bridge after?
The narration on these vids is CRISP.
Really nice.
Not done in vanity and caters to an audience he understands well. He is class in a classless medium of entertainment, indeed!
I was looking for this branch of statements, and i sign to it under every word.
I think he's cheesy and uses his voice in a manipulative way to create an aura of "mystery" and "only if" and "little did they know".
This is the best channel I've come across in ages!, its weird when a channel as good as this is hiding away despite me watching similar stuff for years!, UA-cam needs to sort out it's recommendations, the quality of this content and narration is undeniable!
Yeah, just popped in my recom's around 2 weeks ago too, great channel glad it's getting more views & subs
I remember this happening, I was so worried my friend was on board, I have always been nervous about getting on a ferry after this.
Have been in aircraft cargo operations for years. Cargo door closure (and locks down) has to be verified personally by 3 people, separately, who have to sign off on paper. Missing signatures in an audit is an immediate failure. There is an indicator in the cabin, but indicators fail, so double and triple in this case checks are required. Very simple. Why this approach isn’t required in ferry operations is very strange to me. Same thing happened in the Estonia disaster.
Same thing did NOT occur on Estonia which lost its' bow visor due to the heavy storm and bad engineering although new investigation is currently running after a hole was found on the side of the wreck. Ferry regulations did also change after the Zeebrugge incident and Estonia had indicators for the bow visor if it was left open but the indicators were on the locks of the visor so that as long as they were engaged the bow was fine since the indicators were designed to show human error and not violent force ripping off the visor so the crew didn't realize the visor was off and due to another unusual design flaw they also couln't see the bow was missing from the bridge .There were cameras on the car deck too but in the back so that the visor was not visible in those cameras that nowadays are probably placed better.
Townsend Thorsen the owner of Herald of free enterprise also turned out to be a company running extremely carelessly though as in 1983 already another of their ship Pride of free enterprise left for sea with both bow and stern visors open after which the captain sent a letter to the company that indicators should be put on but the answer was belittling and negligent
I went on the ferry that went after this. My parents didn't want my brother and I to worry so didn't tell us until we were getting off in Belgium.
You and That Chapter are two of the best channels on this site. I cannot get enough of it! Thank you for all you do!
Recently found this channel and it's history not always nice history though. That Chapter I need to restart watching him again
I have always been a situational awareness individual in terms of identifying exits, and circumstances around me….but this channel has made me even more so.
My mother and grandparents were on this ship a couple of weeks earlier. It was much calmer weather then. My grandpa recalls going down to the car deck shortly after departure to get something from his car. He noticed that the doors were still open... This was apparently normal practice
I was on that ferry in 1981 as a young boy travelling with a school party to Zeebrugge. Its unfortunate and deeply sad that these catastrophes happen to enact change in safe operation. Like all the plane crashes in the past have now led to very few in this age. luckily we learn lessons and dont repeat
You know I never blame someone if they forgot to his switch or turn of valve and it causes a disaster because simple things like that can be missed. But I mean you had to knowingly open those tanks and fill them up. How can you just forget that they were opened and filled? That's just straight-up negligence.
The Herald of Free Enterprise was towed to Sloehaven (harbour) in Vlissingen after being refloated. I didn't know it was there and saw a ship in the harbour, I think they painted over the name but it was still visible. It was quite a shock to suddenly see this ship in which a lot of people had lost their life.
My Father survived this disaster due to fog in Belgium on its way to the ferry, he came late and missed it. So came late can save your life sometimes.
These stories fascinate me. I've been on the water, and it's a lonely feeling to be out there, no help in sight. I live near the Pacific Ocean and won't go past the beach. That water is so powerful.
I've always loved the _thought_ of the ocean, if that makes sense....I love being on the beach.... But that's as far as I go, too.....I can't do boats yet lol
i have mad respect for water; not fear, but respect. i won’t go past my ankles in the ocean and i won’t step foot in an river. i used to swim in lakes, but now i realize they’re just gross.
My first memory of the ocean I remember my father took me to the beach in California when I was 4. I cried out of fear of the size and power of the ocean. I respect the sea. But now I fear the human error and unpredictability of man perhaps worse. Stories like these make me uneasy. No accountability in any of these horror stories. Just Not guilty, Not guilty, Not guilty, Not guilty, Not guilty, Not guilty....
@@sashasavisha146Yes, I found it shocking that the judge ordered the jury to acquit! I wonder who lined his pockets. 🤔
Sounds like the judge received some compelling "evidence" in his bank account from the ferry company and felt obligated to order the acquittal of everyone on trial.
Either that was a paid "hit" of colossal scale, or a begining of liberal movement (all the kindergartening, with "oh c'mon! They *are* sorry, no need to spank them for something that's already a past.."). - the main reason, we're now _"living under weird and oppressive regime of health and safety regulations"*,_ and accidents are still happening, because people aren't taught to *be responsible.*
* - (c) to Steve Hughes
He had no choice - the prosecution made procedural errors
@@jayswarrow1196 if you think safety regulations are opressive then you need to visit a head doctor.
@@StrazdasLT Depends on the case. Often times when things go bad regulators add more regulations that don't solve the fact that mistakes or negligence will override regulations. There is a balance to be had but finding it can be difficult.
Of all the disasters I've heard about on this channel I'd say this one is the most blatantly avoidable
I can't even imagine what this would feel like for everything to change in a matter of seconds and to be literally flung across a steel structure with 0 warning...
As a kid I was rescued by the crew, literally in the last second, from the cabin of the capsizing yacht. Probably less than a minute before the squall hit one of the crew told me to stay close to the entrance door. This and their swift action as well as strict implementation of life jackets (I was forced to wear one clearly against my wishes) is for sure what saved my life. And though this is completely not comparable to the disaster of such a horrific scale, waiting for the rescue in the cold water just a few hundred yards from the shore, with onlookers from the nearby village gathering ashore and gazing curiously but not taking any action, can put a lifetime scar on the psyche. To be clear, this didn't happen in any western country.
Thus to this day any such maritime horror story is somehow relevant to what I personally experienced and I am pretty sure, that, like in my case, such a close call must be a life changing experience for any survivor, no matter the size of the sunk vessel.
This is insane. As a Belgian myself born in '95 I didn't know of this disaster. Called my father over who has vivid memories (used to be a marine at Zeebrugge) of it. Thank you for this video, my heart goes out to all the people who lost their live that day.
I came across on the same ship a few months before just after the new year. Some of the crew were clearly drunk and I witnessed a shouting argument between one of the deck officers and a deck hand. Bad attitude was everywhere and I certainly didn't get the impression the ship was well operated, I suspect that this general state of bad discipline led to the eventual disaster.
I remember this disaster so well. Absolutely horrendous and so heartbreaking for all involved.
I could literally feel the Squat Effect as you described it. You're an amazing narrator
If you;re wondering why you never heard much about this ship or any ship from the same company after this? thats because they quickly changed their name to? P&O Ferries.
I see that name everywhere when i drive here in the netherlands
It was taken over by P&O who already existed and bought the company. P&O were founded in 1837...
The owners of such ypical corporations can change their names to escpape bankruptcy, fraud,
@@chrisperrien7055 P&O (originally Pacific and Orient, a very old British shipping line from the days of sail) had bought TT a couple of years before and were planning on phasing out the TT branding by the end of the Eighties. However the bad publicity from having the public see the distinctive livery of the wrecked Herald on the news every night for weeks, and then the findings of the inquiry, hastened the decision to rebrand.
@@rich_edwards79 it's the Peninsular and Orient steam navigation company, not Pacific, and they bought out European ferries group, EFG, the TT owners the previous year. P&O were never planning to rebrand Townsend Thoresen, who were a recognisable and well respected brand. The HoFE disaster changed that plan, with the newly built Pride of Calais being launched with TT livery, being changed before joining the fleet, and the remainder received very quick modifications to both livery and names. All references to enterprise were removed, including the head office enterprise house becoming channel house.
"...the case quickly collapsed when the judge ordered the jury to acquit all concerned parties."
Wait, WHAT?! Since when does the judge get to tell the jury who to charge and who to acquit?! That defeats the entire purpose of having a jury to begin with!
"Thank you, jurors, for hearing this case... Have you come to a verdict? Well, guess what? Turns out it doesn't matter, because you're all going to acquit the defendants anyway!"
What the hell was the point in even having a trial to begin with? So the judge and the lawyers could run off with a fat paycheck while the charged parties walked away scott-free? What a joke!
absolutely spot on my thoughts exactly
The judge is allowed to give “advice” to the jury. Remember the jury are normal people with no legal background or any legal qualifications. When the case gets really complicated, the judge can give a direction that the jury should follow.
The juries literally know nothing. But the point to have a jury is to make it democratic, because it is the people who decided whether someone is guilty or not. But juries are usually used only for very serious cases. But at the end of the day, the judge has the final say, because they are the ones who know and apply the law. Not the jury.
The company tried to sell on the vessel thinking that if some repairs were made she might be sea worthy again??? Thats a disgrace. Pure greed and not an ounce of remorse!!
@@donnadanielsen9411 the judge may know the law but the jury is there to apply reasoning and base any decision of guilt or innocence on evidence presented. Asleep on duty resulting in doors not being secured is culpability resulting in such injury and death.
Nothing other than a corrupt verdict.
It isn't unusual for the judge to kick a case out when vital evidence proves to be invalid (witness is proved to have been somewhere else, taken a bribe etc.) but in this case there were a number of people who should have shouldered the blame. When corporate cases get kicked out it just encourages other companies to put profit before lives.
I really love your channel. You deserve x1000+ more subs & I look forward to see it happening..
Thank You for all your hard work.
As a fan of these “horror stories” - an editor and VO artist --BRAVO. Love your channel. Excellent research, too - in all your videos. Hard to find these days
They are extremely well done.
I just discovered your channel and have been completely addicted! Awesome work!
Great channel, Great content! Been binging your videos all day. Keep up the great work!
Summer land is a good video to watch.
It came up when I was doing my health and safety training.
People have the right to be Stupid
But they often Abuse the Privilege.
Just found your channel and I’m binging all your videos. Sad as they are thank you for bringing attention to them. I’ve never heard of most and if we do not learn from past mistakes we are bound to repeat them.
This channel deserves to blow up, amazing vids and interesting cases!
My GP was studying in a hospital on the south coast when she was young, and she was asked to help with the rescue attempt. She was on the rescue helicopters etc... she said there’s not a day that goes by without her thinking about it.
I remember this being huge news. Such a sad event, terrifying too.
I love ur content! Found you in my recomendations and am so happy for it 😁
I find your narration to be quite relaxing.. your voice is calm, The cadence of your voice is a melodic masterpiece.
They tried to sell the ship, with a "You can repair her!"...
Uh huh, why don't you yourself then?
_Sells for scrap_
Thought so.
Sailors are incredibly superstitious. There's no fucking way any company that bought that ship would've found a single man to work on a boat upon which 200 people died. And the shipping companies that refused her knew this. The company that tried to sell what was left of her knew it. At least, if I'm not even a sailor & I know it, they damn sure as shit should've known it, or they're in the wrong business.
@@emilyadams3228 i mean you make a lot of money through scrap, especially copper. Just businesses thinking like businesses
@@dr.coomer789 Oh yeah, I know that. Ships are made of the highest-grade steel available, cos they have to resist the salt water. And they have miles of cooper wiring, all kinds of metals in the engines, etc. But still, there's the superstition thing. It goes back millennia.
@@emilyadams3228 I mean, i dont think its only superstition, at least depending on the country. Theres also the fact that being on a ship that 200 people died is just plain upsetting.
@FstSergeant8595Good point. Prominence in culture plays a part as well. If the Titanic were resurrected, well, it's the titanic and a very memorable history moment. I mean, id get on it for the sake of it being the Titanic. On the other hand, a not as renowned ship may not give the same feeling, and may be more depressing, for the sake of it being a more modern and "down to earth," kind of moment, if that makes sense. Riding the titanic would be like visiting the Gettysburg battlefield or something.
Oh water,, always so threatening.. taking lives and so destructive. Yet who are we without water and it's beauty
We're thirsty, that's who!
Sunken yachts in sunken yards
Drunken Scotsmen drinking hard
Every lunatic and his friend
I mustn't go down to the sea again.
The ocean is a wild and untamed creature.
With a gentle hand she will caress your cheek gently, while with a monstrous tentacle she drags a unsuspecting ship to it's dark grave
Thanks for the contribution. I was booked on the ship for the next morning and got the news by radio. It was a peculiar feeling taking another ship and seeing the location the next day....
I was just re-watching all of yours from the beginning after discovering I've missed one. And here's the first with that unmistakable intro music. I know you've pondered changing it, but it's so… Iconic… At this point… it instantly sets the mood and primes the brain for your sobering videos on the fragility (but often courage and compassion) of human life.
i was wondering when i'd come across a video from this event
my grandfather worked with civil protection and had to remove bodies from the site, it changed his life forever
we rarely talked about it but i could feel his pain whenever it was mentioned
Wow
I remember this or something like this on “Seconds Before Disaster”
This disaster was indeed covered on that show. I remember watching the episode.
“Seconds from Disaster” - I love that show!
Ah thank you, I was trying to think why I knew about this even thought it happened when I was 4 years old haha
That animation with the gapping front of the ship sucking water like a opened mouth still gives me creeps when I remember this episode
I truly LOVE your Channel! It has kept me company many long and lonely nights at work! Haha. I’ve donated before to you but I want to thank you again for all your GREAT, QUICK, & VERY INFORMATIVE Videos.
Glad I'm not alone in my new obsession. Thank you for these beautiful tributes, I've needed you. ❤️
My grandad was a truck driver and was ment to go aboard but he was 5 minutes late luckily being late saved his life rest in peace all who died that day
Worked with a guy who was on it and survived. He barely spoke about it to us,but I know it cost him his confidence and eventually his wife and kids he split from due to PTSD I guess you'd call it these days.
PTSD was not known of back then. People were told to just get on with it.
Some do just dust themselves off and move on.
Then there are those who milk the sympathy.
Binge-watching and came across this video. Insane to think something like this happened a mere 35 minute drive from me and I have never heard from it before.
Very informative videos. Subscribed.
Found this channel today. Been binge watching ever since. Can't get a thing done. Awesome content, great research done well done. Subbed. Thanks 👍
The remaining body's were taken off a month later, holy shit that's long
The ferry Estonia also sank very quickly, which is still a bit a mystery to this day , but at least we know the causes of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster . With lessons learnt .
the music in these videos is haunting and ominous, yet eerily calming--which just adds to the overall horror of these tragic stories
I remember this day very well. I had just toured Europe with a band and we were booked on to the ferry to return home. We were held up and missed the ferry.
You might want to cover MS Estonia disaster, especially since the new Swedish investigation is out.
Probably too risky to go down that rabbit hole right now. Better to just leave it until all the controversies have been settled.
@@MLennholm I don't think there are any controversies, just conspiracy theories. The original explanation is simple and logical.
Yikes!! All of those poor passengers!!👀😑
How does routine, maritime, actions/things you do every (damn) day and are getting paid for: turn into a horrifying and ghastly loss of life, my god!!
Excellent video I've never heard of this Maritime disaster before, wow. 🤔
I’m addicted to you channel. Thank you for bringing me horror and joy
I remember when this happened. The negligence of leaving those doors open was astounding.
My brother in law was on this as a school boy on a school trip. He had to jump from the ship into the water and broke his leg.
I misses that crossing ,by 2mins ,,, so had to drive over my hours , to another port.... the rest is history......
Logbooks were made to be "fudged".
My family lived in England at the time, and we had been on this ferry weeks before this happened on vacation with a lot of families from our Army base. My parents still talk about the fact that, upon boarding the ferry, all of the kids/families scattered, which would have made it impossible for them to round my sister and I up and get us to safety had it happened when we were on board.
Has he done the Chicago River Eastland Ship Disaster? My Great Grandpa was on the Eastland when it flipped and his buddy was crushed by furniture. It was pure luck that he survived and I was eventually born. In 2004 I moved into a building at 324 S. Racine Ave that had been used as an emergency morgue because they had nowhere set to keep the bodies. It was weird to live above a funeral home turned restaurant that had a direct connection to a Disaster that a family member lived through.