'Mayday!': Camera captures huge wave snapping cargo ship in 2 off coast of Turkey

Onboard cameras captured the shocking moment a cargo ship was broken in two by a huge wave off Turkey's Black Sea province of Bartin earlier this month.

Three sailors died when the Ukrainian-owned Arvin sank in heavy seas on Jan. 16 after the wave snapped its keel near the bow.

The Turkish Maritime Authority released the video, which also recorded crew members making a mayday call for help on the voyage between Georgia and Bulgaria.

A search operation rescued the other members of the mainly Ukrainian crew.

#GlobalNews #CargoShipSnaps #CaughOnCamera

[himhim]

They need to investigate who paid off the inspectors because no way in hell should that thing have still been sailing.

[Ringele]

"Mayday, mayday mayday. My vessel broken." is an understatement. The waves weren't terribly big either. Seems like it outlived its service life a few years ago.

[petemcintire]

"We are sinking!" German coast guard: "What are you sinking about?"

[joenavanodo]

The last words the captain will ever want to say: “my vessel broken.”

[Gardnerpublic]

For all those that say “why scrap perfectly good ships, ” here’s why

[francisdelaney]

The ship was in trouble BEFORE the waves...should have been scrapped years ago.

[realhelathylifestyle]

In fairness, that thing looks like it was built to snap in half.

[modifiedcontent]

That was not a huge wave; that was just a crappy vessel.

[ncisfan]

That was not a huge wave. That ship was ready to break if someone kicked it

[jaws]

Engineer, “she’s fine, in heavy seas she will hinge like that.”

[taylorharper]

“Well to begin with, the front’s not supposed to fall off”

[AG-leee]

Arvin was 46 years old. She was a pretty old river cargo ship. Six sailors died. RIP

[MrMismith]

The ship looked like a bucket of rust.

[jacq]

This ship was originally designed for rivers and canals not for seas

[docsavage]

The ship was the MV Arvin, anchored on the Turkish coast....it was 46 years old and had previously failed safety inspections in the Georgian Republic for extensive deck and hull corrosion, as well as insecure water tight hatches.

[JustCalMeBozeman]

"Not to worry, we're still sailing half a ship."

[Francois_Dupont]

"old ship 50years after being sold for scrap finally snaps in two."

[davidkeeton]

"Oh they're built to be very rigorous to strict maritime standards." "Well obviously not this one, because a wave hit it and the front fell off."

[michealcronin]

In case anyone is curious the reason that happened is because this is coastal cargo vessel. They are designed longer and narrower so they can essentially ride the types of waves you find in the shallower areas of the ocean or even the Great Lakes. The waters are normally much calmer and the ships aren’t designed to pitch and roll as aggressively as a Blue Water cargo vessel which would be wider and better able to handle the stresses. It’s a case of wrong place wrong time in the wrong ship type.

[DollySvengali]

that wasn't even much of a wave, but then my old Ford Pinto did the same exact thing on a speed bump after 25 years of rust.