Tugboat Capsizing Crisis! (extra footage)

The Tugboat is just seconds away from capsizing! The crew is using a knife and an axe to cut the line in the hope to prevent it.

[disklamer]

Love the follow-up :) Russian navy cadets happened... Jokes aside, it was the quick turn that got the tug in trouble. Once the Kruzenstern started to accelerate and turn I guess the only option to attempt to right the situation would have been to reverse at full steam until the tug lines back up behind it. However that's easier said than done: you would be reversing into the big ship's wake which opens up a whole new can of worms. At the very least the tug would get pushed away, if it gets too close that's an even greater risk, especially if the line starts slacking. So idk if any halfway sane tug captain would even attempt that. All things considered, the only way out was to cut the line, they obviously did not really need that tug any more at that point, with open water ahead. Would love to hear the radio exchange though :)

[johngillon]

It just happens so quick. A sailor always needs a sharp knife on hand. I always hate it when there are so many witnesses.

[janisrcdronepilot]

In this particular case the “girting” of the tug was caused due to sudden and too fast course change of the the tall ship. Stern tug was not able to fallow the course change. Actually quite strange why the tall ship was going so fast and uncontrolled. This good example of why every tug boat Mate ned to have seaman’s knife in the pocket! 👍

[annoyingbstard]

If they’d thribbled the gornwarbler astern of the grimmyshank this would never have happened. (Thirty years sweeping the streets.)

[dand]

It needs much more than this for that thug to be in danger. Also, the crew is great!

[peterfrazer]

When we were departing Aden in 1962, for Mombassa on HMS Albion, we pulled a Tug over and 4 Arab Seamen lost their lives. It happened so quickly no one had time to react, plus with having all the Skylights open it went down like a stone. Its always dangerous when Tugs are manoeuvring a large vessel underway.

[poppaleggansquat]

The guy with the knife was a lucky man not to get hurt, his crew mate should've given him a shout befire hitting the rope with the axe! Also if a ropes under tension its better to cut it where its attached so as to lessen the chances of the knife accelerating out of your hand or hitting you.

[voithdriver]

from my point of view, and that is as a tug skipper doing this manoeuvre frequently with a twin screw tug, and at roughly the same speed, the tow rope should have been on the head of the tug this is a safer bet with speed, alternatively with a stern tow setup, a gob rope should have been used, this moves the pivot point further aft and reduces the chance of girting.
But my first choice with a tug that shape would have been to have the rope on the bow of the tug.

[boblister]

Most tight manuovers with ships are done at a snails pace. That ship has a lot of windage and it was blowing so They may have been forced to make a risky turn.

[JelMain]

One of my ancestors was killed in Portsmouth Harbour in the 1860S when a line snapped under similar circumstances. Cut in half.

[ESPNsPeacockbassProfessor]

In the dumbest scenario I'd say the tug thought they were going in one direction and didn't realize they were turning LOL

[normtyneships]

Have my eyes deceived me but was the lead tug not on a line on the port side and had to quickly, with too much speed, cut across the bow to pull her to starboard, making her stern pull hard on the tug in trouble?

[philippetz]

I love the juxtaposition of everyone smiling and waving on the big ship and these dudes in serious danger of capsizing only 50 or 60' away.

[jackmckinnon]

and thats why the bulkhead door has " keep closed at sea" written on it

[andymack]

The old school "down haul snotter" seems to be forgotten here?

[leehaelters]

The short version had more information about the tug’s predicament.

[racketyjack]

Speaking as a former boatswainsmate and able seaman, those tow lines seemed awfully small diameter. Granted they were being stretched but Ive seen many a towline or mooring line stretched and they were never that small. Guess though in this case it was a good thing as the deck seaman was able to quickly cut it loose with no injury to himself.

[jrsrubt]

It would take a lot to capsize a tug boat they won't capsize that easily. The draft of a tug boat goes deep below the water line which would make it more stable

[marcomarini]

The problem is....who was managing the ship's manoeuvring??? Probably pilot or ship's Master.
I'm a tugboat Master and I talk about my experience...a ship secured to tugboat lines MUST to act considering tugboat's abilities in order to have a safe and effective aid during manoeuvre .
It means to regulate speed and rate of turning.
Unfortunately few pilots and Captains have been on the tugboat side.
Congratulations to very reactive crew of stern tug

[ballphil]

my favourite 2 training ships are the Kruzenstern and the dar mlodziezy . huge .