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Old 04-22-2014, 05:02 PM
 
Location: Michigan
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When the HMS Birkenhead, a British ship carrying troops, began to sink off the coast of South Africa in 1852, the captain and military officers on board famously allowed women and children to board the lifeboats first.
The captain and many of the troops stayed on the ship until the last, perishing in the ocean as the women and children made their way to safety. Their chivalrous act of self-sacrifice is considered to have helped set the standard for noble conduct at sea.

Abandon ship? In recent disasters, captains don't hang around - CNN.com
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Old 04-22-2014, 07:38 PM
 
1,013 posts, read 905,237 times
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if they all saved the passengers then abandon ship I have no problem with.

but shameless captains and crew members they should be sent to the sea to meet the fellow passengers if they let them die so they can get the lifeboats for themselves
(*cough* banksters 2008-2009)

there is no longer any honor.
unfortunately.
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Old 04-22-2014, 07:43 PM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
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Captains DO stay around.

Spineless, cowardly cads in spiffy uniforms do not.

Sully stayed with the plane until he was sure all passengers and crew had gotten out. Then he did an additional walk-thru through the empty, sinking plane, to make sure there was nobody left on board. Then he finally got into a rescue boat, the last one to leave.

There is lots of honor. You just have to quit watching television, and look for the real men who have it.
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Old 04-22-2014, 07:48 PM
 
Location: planet octupulous is nearing earths atmosphere
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one universal truth when on a sinking ship, or any vessel, get to the top decks.. don't listen to the captain or you will die!!!
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Old 04-22-2014, 07:59 PM
 
Location: Palo Alto
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I thought men and women were equal? Kids first. Women and men second in equal numbers.
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:07 PM
 
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When the going gets tough, the tough jump over everyone else.
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:12 PM
 
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Ir would seem to me the best way to offload the passengers is whatever is most efficient instead of trying to pick out the kids and the women assuming of course it's not dire circumstances.

As far as the captains abandoning ship like that one in Italy he's nothing but a coward. Not only is he abandoning the passengers but he's also abandoning the crew and leaving them leaderless. If there is any situation where a leader is important that is it. What kind of message does that send to the crew when their Captain jumps ship?
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Old 04-23-2014, 09:17 AM
 
Location: Bel Air, California
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sometimes the Captains have been know to trip and fall into the lifeboats by accident
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Old 04-23-2014, 09:26 AM
 
Location: Miami, FL
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A modern era example would be the The Flying Enterprise saga in 1952 where the Captain stayed aboard alone or with one salvage tugboat crewman through several hurricanes to save his ship. I recall he commented "I am the Captain, I am staying" when encourage to leave the ship early on.

Actually worth making a film on that episode as it is an example of tremendous dedication.

Last edited by Felix C; 04-23-2014 at 09:48 AM..
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Old 04-23-2014, 12:22 PM
 
46,757 posts, read 25,681,251 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John1960 View Post
When the HMS Birkenhead, a British ship carrying troops, began to sink off the coast of South Africa in 1852, the captain and military officers on board famously allowed women and children to board the lifeboats first.
The sad fact of the matter is, the Birkenhead became famous because it hadn't been common practice until then - each man for himself was more the order of the day. Passengers always tended to fare the worst in shipwrecks - partially explained by the fact that before the age of radio, getting in a boat was just the first step, you'd still have to have mariners' skills to get to dry land - but there are documented stories of crews simply pushing off passengers who tried to get in the boats.

HMS Birkenhead hit right on the Victorian era's self-image of what it meant to be an Englishman.

Still, we should expect crew to get the passengers off to the utmost of their abilities. If not to the point of sacrificing themselves, at least to the point where the risks to life and limb clearly outweigh the chance of saving anyone else.
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