Radio conversation during barge collision

[Laura's Babies]

Since I work on boats and our boat was involved in a collision last December, I found this hard to listen to but it puts you there as it is happening and I found it hard to resist listening to over and over. The actual radio conversation as it is happening.. (WARNING.. bad language in it but can you blame them?)

http://videos.nola.com:80/times-pica...ring_barg.html

The whole river was a buzz with this news as soon as it happened. Word spreads fast out there so I was told about it when I got up at 2am that morning. All barges and boats that go through that area have to be stopped and cleaned, before they can continue up or downriver. We didn't make it down to New Orleans this trip thank goodness, but all our north bound tows come from below New Orleans.
Video of the spill
http://videos.nola.com/nola/2008/07/...pill_al_1.html

The picture you see as you listen is a computerized map that is in the wheelhouses on all the boats, including ours that is on the computer monitor and it changes as we move to show where we are.

[lvpets2002]

WoW Laura that first video had me sitting on the edge of my seat.. I was even yelling a the captain to pick up on the mick.. The second video does pretty much tell what a horrible mess it was.. Thanks for doing a thread on this.. Very interesting..

[pitc9]

WOW!
I too was on the edge of my seat!!!

Oh what a mess.
Was the captain asleep??

[Laura's Babies]

He was NOT a liscensed pilot and I have not heard anything as to why he didn't answer on the radio. The only thing I can figure is he either had changed channels or had it turned off or down... whatever he did, it was a MAJOR mistake as he know by now. He ruined any chance he ever had of getting a liscense. I did see a news clip where American Commercial Barge Lines (ACBL) is accepting responsiability for the incident since they are at the top of the ownership chain of owners of the tug.