All language subtitles for Disasters.at.Sea.S01E02.Deadly.Neglect.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

COAST GUARD, WE ARE
POSITIVELY IN BAD SHAPE.

A CARGO SHIP CAPSIZES
IN A WINTER STORM,

THROWING THE CREW
INTO FREEZING WATERS.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY
UNDESCRIBABLY COLD.

YOU HAVE ABOUT ONE HOUR

UNTIL YOU BECOME UNCONSCIOUS
FROM HYPOTHERMIA.

THE SHIP HAD SAILED
THROUGH RAGING SEAS

MANY TIMES BEFORE.

WHY DID THIS VOYAGE END
IN DISASTER?

THE WEATHER
SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM,

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

INVESTIGATORS NOW HAVE
A DEADLY MYSTERY TO SOLVE.

WHAT THEY DISCOVER IS SHOCKING.

UNBELIEVABLE!

THE MARINE ELECTRIC
WAS A TRAGEDY

THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

ABANDON SHIP!

GO!

IT'S A STORMY WINTER DAY

OFF THE COAST OF VIRGINIA.

YEAH, COPY THAT.

WE'RE ON OUR WAY.

CAPTAIN PHILIP CORL

OF THE BULK CARRIER
MARINE ELECTRIC

IS ON WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
A SHORT RUN UP THE COAST.

BUT HE'S JUST RECEIVED WORD
A NEARBY SHIP IS IN TROUBLE.

FISHING VESSEL THEODORA
IS IN DISTRESS.

WE GOT TO GO LEND A HAND.

ROGER, CAPTAIN.

GENE KELLY WAS ON BOARD

AS THE MARINE ELECTRIC'S
THIRD MATE.

SO THEY CALLED US

AND ASKED IF WE COULD TURN

AND GO STAND BY THE THEODORA.

AND IF THEY DID SINK,

THEN YOU'D GO INTO SOME TYPE
OF A RESCUE ATTEMPT.

THERE IS THE LAW OF THE OCEAN,

YOU DON'T LEAVE ANYBODY
IN PERIL.

THE DISTRESS CALL
FINDS THE MARINE ELECTRIC

PARTWAY THROUGH A ROUTINE RUN

CARRYING NEARLY 25,000 TONS
OF COAL FROM NORFOLK, VIRGINIA,

UP THE ATLANTIC COAST
TO SOMERSET, MASSACHUSETTS.

THE 40-YEAR-OLD VESSEL
IS NO STRANGER TO BAD WEATHER.

IT WAS BUILT AS A TANKER
DURING WORLD WAR II.

AFTER THE WAR, IT WAS CONVERTED
TO CARRY CARGO

FOR COMMERCIAL SHIPPING.

THE MARINE ELECTRIC HAD BEEN

THROUGH HEAVY SEAS BEFORE.

THEY WERE CONFIDENT
THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE

THROUGH A TOUGH STORM.

THE SHIP'S CREW
IS ALSO VERY EXPERIENCED.

THE MARINE ELECTRIC'S CAPTAIN
IS A VETERAN MARINER

WITH FOUR DECADES AT SEA.

CHIEF OFFICER IS BOB CUSICK.

HE NOTICED THE POSITION
OF THE THEODORA

WHEN MARINE ELECTRIC
SAILED PAST.

NOW, WHERE WERE THEY
WHEN YOU SAW THEM?

THEY WERE
SOMEWHERE AROUND...

AROUND HERE.

BOB CUSICK,

FRIENDLIEST GUY YOU COULD
IMAGINE WORKING FOR.

UH, MADE LIFE EASY,
UH, EXPLAINED EVERYTHING

AND WAS NOT OVERBEARING.

THE SEA WAS IN HIS BLOOD.

HE LOVED THE SEA FROM THE TIME
HE WAS A LITTLE BOY.

HE SAILED FROM THE TIME HE WAS
15 TO THE TIME HE WAS 64 OR 65.

BASED ON CUSICK'S COORDINATES,

CAPTAIN CORL WILL HAVE TO TURN
THE SHIP A FULL 180 DEGREES

THROUGH WAVES
MORE THAN 20 FEET HIGH.

PREPARE TO ALTER COURSE.

STANDING BY.

TURNING MEANS PUTTING
THE SHIP TEMPORARILY BROADSIDE

TO THE ENORMOUS OCEAN WAVES.

IF THEY DON'T TIME IT PERFECTLY,
IT COULD CAPSIZE THE SHIP.

EVEN IF IT
IMPERILS YOU, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU HAVE TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO HELP A FELLOW MARINER.

NOW!
TURN LEFT STEADY ON 220!

ROGER, CAPTAIN,
TURNING TO 220.

AS THE SHIP TURNS, IT
CUTS ACROSS THE ONCOMING WAVES

AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY
FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

MICHAEL CARR SERVED
IN THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE.

HE KNOWS WHAT THE CREW
WAS FACING.

IT'S LIKE TURNING AROUND
ON A FREEWAY

WITH EVERYTHING COMING
RIGHT AT YOU.

IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

ALMOST THERE.

WHEN SHE ACTUALLY TURNED,
THE ENTIRE SHIP SHUDDERS...

THEN THE SHIP COMES BACK DOWN,
AND IT JUST DISPLACES

TONS AND TONS AND TONS
OF WATER AT ONE TIME.

JUST LIKE TURNING
A ROWBOAT, CAPTAIN.

CORL TIMES THE TURN PERFECTLY.

IT WAS JUST NEATLY DONE.

HE SEEMED REALLY TO KNOW
WHAT HE WAS DOING.

HE HANDLED THE SHIP WELL.

AND, UH, REALLY PUT THE MINDS OF
THE OFFICERS AND CREW AT EASE.

THEY KNEW THAT CORL WAS A PRO.

ANY SIGN OF
THE FISHING VESSEL THEODORA?

I HAVE A LIGHT BEARING
TWO POINTS ON THE STARBOARD BOW.

TWO POINTS
OFF THE STARBOARD BOW.

THEY QUICKLY SPOT
THE VESSEL IN DISTRESS.

GOT IT?

THE 65-FOOT FISHING BOAT

IS STRUGGLING
IN THE 20-FOOT SEAS.

IT'S TAKING ON WATER.

AND THE PUMPS THAT NORMALLY
REMOVE IT AREN'T WORKING.

COAST GUARD,
THIS IS MARINE ELECTRIC.

WE ARE AT POSITION 37 DEGREES,
50.1 MINUTES NORTH,

74 DEGREES,
53.6 MINUTES WEST.

ROGER, WE COPY THAT. ON OUR WAY.

CORL REPORTS
THE SHIP'S POSITION

TO THE COAST GUARD

AND DOES WHAT HE CAN TO HELP.

LET'S SEE
IF WE CAN MAKE A WALL.

THE MASSIVE MARINE ELECTRIC

POSITIONS ITSELF SO IT CAN
SHIELD THE FISHING BOAT

FROM THE WORST OF THE WAVES

UNTIL COAST GUARD
RESCUERS ARRIVE.

IT WAS LIKE THE THEODORA
HAVING A WALL OF STEEL,

UH, BETWEEN HER
AND THE ROWS OF SWELLS

THAT WERE COMING IN
AND, AND THREATENING HER.

WE GET POUNDED PRETTY GOOD,

WE'RE ROLLING PRETTY GOOD, UH,

TAKING A LOT OF SPRAY
OVER THE DECK.

BUT IT WASN'T LONG

BEFORE THE COAST GUARD
HELICOPTER WAS THERE,

DROPPED
THE DE-WATERING PUMPS ON,

AND THEY GOT, UH,
THE DE-WATERING PUMPS

UP AND RUNNING.

THE MARINE ELECTRIC
PROTECTS THE THEODORA

FOR NEARLY AN HOUR
WHILE IT PUMPS OUT.

WITH THEODORA
FINALLY OUT OF DANGER,

THE COAST GUARD CLEARS
THE MARINE ELECTRIC

TO CONTINUE ON COURSE
FOR MASSACHUSETTS.

BUT THE STORM IS GETTING WORSE.

THE SHIP IS NOW STRUGGLING
TO MAKE ANY HEADWAY.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
A FIERCE NOR'EASTER HERE.

EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A WAVE,

THE SHIP REALLY PORPOISES
THROUGH IT, REALLY,

AND THE, AND THE BOW
MAY ACTUALLY BE SUBMERGED

FOR A LITTLE BIT,
UH, IN REALLY ROUGH WEATHER.

SHIPS LIKE
THE MARINE ELECTRIC

WERE DESIGNED TO CUT
THROUGH OCEAN WAVES,

WHICH WASH OVER THE DECK
AND ROLL OFF THE SIDES.

BUT THE STORM HAS SLOWED
THEIR PROGRESS TO A CRAWL.

I AM HEAVING TO.

SLOW AHEAD ON THE ENGINE.

HEAVING TO.

SLOW AHEAD ON THE ENGINE.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO
RIDE THIS OUT.

THE CAPTAIN
SLOWS THE SHIP AND HEAVES TO,

A POSITION THAT SIMPLY
HOLDS IT IN PLACE

AT THE SAFEST ANGLE
TO THE WAVES.

WITH THE STORM
JEOPARDIZING THE SHIP,

THE CAPTAIN CATCHES WHAT SLEEP
HE CAN ON THE BRIDGE.

HE WANTED TO BE WOKEN
EVERY 15 MINUTES

AND APPRAISED OF THE SITUATION.

DID HE HAVE A PREMONITION?
I DON'T KNOW.

CAN'T SEE A DAMN THING.

OH, IT'S DARK!

THE WIND WAS REALLY
HOWLING, UH, REALLY HOWLING.

SHE HAD ALREADY CRANKED UP TO
AT LEAST 40, 45 MILES AN HOUR.

IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY BAD.

AND I WENT OUT JUST TO FEEL
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WEATHER.

NO OTHER REASON.

I DIDN'T HAVE SHIPS ON THE RADAR
THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR,

I WASN'T LOOKING TO MAKE
A WEATHER REPORT.

I JUST WANTED TO FEEL
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WEATHER.

QUICKLY I REALIZED THERE WAS
NO PLACE TO STAND OUT THERE.

HOURS PASS
AS THE MARINE ELECTRIC

ENDURES LASHING RAIN
AND HEAVY SEAS.

WITH 20-FOOT WAVES
TOSSING THE SHIP,

THERE'S LITTLE SLEEP
FOR ANYONE ON BOARD.

I REMEMBER JUST STAYING
IN THE BUNK AND LAYING THERE

AND MAYBE DOZING HERE AND THERE
FOR FIVE OR TEN MINUTES.

UM, IT WAS NOT
A COMFORTABLE NIGHT.

THEN, THIRD MATE
GENE KELLY IS STARTLED AWAKE.

SOMEWHERE AROUND ONE O'CLOCK

THAT I GOT A KNOCK ON MY DOOR.

RISE AND SHINE!

CAPTAIN WANTS ALL DECK OFFICERS
ON THE BRIDGE!

WHEN MY FEET HIT THE DECK,

I COULD TELL THE ATTITUDE
OF THE SHIP HAD CHANGED.

KELLY'S INSTINCT IS RIGHT.

COAST GUARD,
THIS IS MARINE ELECTRIC.

I AM GOING DOWN BY THE HEAD.

SOMETHING IS VERY
WRONG ON THE MARINE ELECTRIC.

THE BOW IS NO LONGER RISING
OUT OF THE WAVES.

THE FORWARD PART
OF THE SHIP WAS UNDER WATER.

THE OCEAN WAS
NO LONGER RISING UP

AND BOARDING THE SHIP AND THEN
SHIPPING OFF THE OTHER SIDE.

LOOKING OUT ON THIS I KNEW
THAT THIS SHIP WAS IN TROUBLE.

30 MILES OFF THE COAST
OF VIRGINIA,

THE BULK CARRIER MARINE ELECTRIC

IS STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT
IN A SAVAGE WINTER STORM.

THE SHIP WAS NOW
HAVING WATER BOARD

ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN THE DECK.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
A WATERFALL WOULD LOOK,

UH, WATER JUST, UH, BOILING
AND BOILING AND BOILING.

GET YOUR ROPE DOWN,
COME ON, LET'S GET IT UNDONE.

THE CREW BATTLES THE ELEMENTS

TO PREPARE THE LIFEBOATS
FOR DEPLOYMENT.

THE WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
IN FEBRUARY

ARE A FRIGID
39 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

EVERYONE HOPES THEY WON'T
ACTUALLY BE FORCED

TO ABANDON SHIP.

KEEP IT LOCKED!

ALL RIGHT, YOU AND ME, LET'S GO!

WE'VE GOT TO CHECK
THE OTHER SIDE!

ABANDONING SHIP
IS THE LAST RESORT.

IT BASICALLY SAYS
WE CAN NO LONGER SOLVE

THE PROBLEMS
IN FRONT OF US,

AND WE NEED TO,
TO GET OFF THE VESSEL,

UM, WHICH IS SOMETIMES EVEN
A WORSE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE WATER IS FREEZING COLD,

IT'S THE MIDDLE OF WINTER,
THAT WIND'S HOWLING.

I MEAN, THESE ARE HUGE SEAS,
SEAS AS BIG AS HOUSES.

SO, LIFEBOATS OR LIFE RAFTS
ARE NOT AN IMPROVEMENT

OVER STAYING ON THE SHIP.

CAPTAIN CORL HAS A FINAL,

DESPERATE PLAN TO AVOID SINKING.

PREPARE TO ALTER COURSE.

I'M GONNA TRY
TO RUN HER AGROUND.

PREPARING TO ALTER COURSE.

HE'S ONLY
30 MILES FROM THE COAST.

IF HE CAN RUN
THE MARINE ELECTRIC AGROUND,

IT MIGHT KEEP THE SHIP
AND ITS CREW

ABOVE WATER LONG ENOUGH TO BE
RESCUED BY THE COAST GUARD.

WHEN I HEARD
HE HAD TURNED NORTHWEST

AND WAS TRYING TO RUN
THE SHIP AGROUND,

I THOUGHT, THAT'S
A PRETTY DRASTIC MOVE.

THEY TURN FOR LAND.

BUT THE BOW IS NOW
COMPLETELY UNDERWATER.

THE WATER WAS COMING BACK
RIGHT TO THE BASE OF THE HOUSE,

AND JUST EXPLODING
INTO WHITE WATER.

UM, HATCHES WERE COMPLETELY
COVERED WITH, UH, OCEAN WATER.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM.

COAST GUARD,
THIS IS MARINE ELECTRIC.

I AM LISTING
AT EIGHT DEGREES NOW.

THE WATER ENTERING THE SHIP

IS NOW MAKING IT LIST DRAMATICALLY.

IT'S NOW IN SERIOUS DANGER
OF CAPSIZING ALTOGETHER.

THE CAPTAIN CALLS FOR RESCUE.

COAST GUARD, WE ARE
POSITIVELY IN BAD SHAPE.

ROGER, WE COPY THAT.

ESTIMATE TO YOUR POSITION,
TWO HOURS.

WE DON'T HAVE TWO HOURS!

COAST GUARD,
MARINE ELECTRIC.

I THINK I'M GONNA LOSE
MY SHIP HERE.

IT WAS AT THAT POINT
THAT REALITY REALLY HIT HOME.

WHEN PHIL SAID, "I THINK
I'M GONNA LOSE MY SHIP,"

HE WAS MATTER OF FACT.

HE WASN'T SCREECHING
INTO THE MICROPHONE,

"I'M LOSING MY SHIP!"

IT WAS JUST A STATEMENT.

IT JUST HAD
TO HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY TOUGH,

BUT HE JUST OBVIOUSLY SAW
AT ONE POINT

WE'RE NOT GONNA SURVIVE THIS.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE
NO CHOICE AT THAT POINT.

OKAY, GUYS, TIME TO GO.

SOUND THE ALARM.

ABANDON SHIP RIGHT NOW.

GO!

WE'RE ABANDONING SHIP RIGHT NOW!

THE CREW SCRAMBLES ON DECK.

IF YOU'RE SINKING,

THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU HAVE
TO TAKE ACTION IS VERY SHORT.

YOU START TO GRASP THE REALITY

THAT, THAT MOTHER NATURE
WILL WIPE YOU OUT

WITHOUT EVEN A SECOND THOUGHT.

THEY'RE TRYING
TO BOARD THE LIFEBOAT,

BUT THE LIST IS SWINGING IT
AWAY FROM THE DECK.

IT LOOKED LIKE IT
COULD'VE BEEN THE GRAND CANYON.

THERE WAS NO WAY PEOPLE WERE
GOING TO JUMP FROM THE SHIP

INTO THAT LIFEBOAT.

THIRD MATE GENE KELLY

KNOWS THE SHIP COULD TURN OVER
AT ANY SECOND,

TAKING THE LIFEBOAT
ALONG WITH IT.

KELLY SAW A STACK
OF LIFE RINGS...

AND HE THREW THEM OUT
INTO THE WATER

ALMOST AS IF
HE WERE THROWING DISCUS.

I HAD A DAUGHTER
AT HOME, AND A WIFE.

I HAD TWO DOGS
AND I HAD A GOOD LIFE,

AND I WASN'T, I WAS NOT GONNA,

UH, GET SWALLOWED UP
BY THE OCEAN.

MOMENTS LATER,
THE MASSIVE SHIP

BEGINS TURNING OVER.

I REMEMBER PAUL DEWEY
WAS REACHING OVER

TO HAUL THE LIFEBOAT
CLOSER TO THE SIDE OF THE SHIP.

AND IT WAS AT THAT POINT

THAT I SAW PAUL REACH
AND TUMBLE OVER THE SIDE.

HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON
THAT I SAW GO IN THE WATER,

AND AS THE SHIP WAS ROLLING

I COULD HEAR PEOPLE
SCREAMING AND YELLING,

AND I COULD SEE THE SMOKESTACK

STARTING TO COME DOWN
ON TOP OF ME.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE
IT CAME OUT OF...

A PRIMEVAL SCREAM,
AND IT WAS FOR MY MOTHER.

IT WAS "MA!"

KELLY IS THROWN
INTO THE FREEZING WATER

WEARING ONLY A LIFEJACKET
AND THE CLOTHES ON HIS BACK

AS THE MARINE ELECTRIC COMPLETES
ITS TERRIFYING ROLL.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY,
UNDESCRIBABLY COLD.

SOMEBODY, UH, PUT YOU IN A VISE

AND TURNED IT AS TIGHT
AS YOU COULD.

I COULDN'T CATCH A BREATH.

THE REST OF THE CREW
IS SCATTERED AROUND HIM.

I'M TREADING WATER
IN MY, IN MY LIFEJACKET.

WHEN I REACHED
THE CREST OF A WAVE,

I COULD SEE THE STROBE LIGHTS
ON ALL THE LIFEJACKETS.

AND THEN YOU'D BE DOWN
IN THE TROUGH OF THE WAVES,

AND YOU MIGHT ONLY SEE
ONE OR TWO FLASHES.

THE CHURNING OCEAN IS FRIGID.

UNLESS HELP ARRIVES SOON,
NONE OF THEM WILL SURVIVE.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE

TO GET YOUR BREATHING
UNDER CONTROL.

YOU HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES
OF MEANINGFUL MOVEMENT

AND ONE HOUR UNTIL YOU MIGHT
BECOME UNCONSCIOUS

FROM HYPOTHERMIA.

DRIFTING ALONE
IN THE DARK, KELLY GETS LUCKY.

I JUST BUMPED
INTO SOMETHING.

AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE
FIVE OTHER GUYS

HOLDING ON TO A LIFE RING.

KELLY GRABS ON,

AND TOGETHER THEY FIGHT
FOR THEIR LIVES

AGAINST THE DEADLY EFFECTS
OF THE FREEZING OCEAN.

THE WATER
WAS EXCRUCIATINGLY COLD.

THE OTHER GUYS ON THE LIFE RING,
THEY KEPT FALLING OFF TO SLEEP.

I KNOW RICHIE ROBERTS
WAS A VERY QUIET DEATH.

BECAUSE HE FELL ASLEEP,
AND I SAID,

"RICHIE, YOU ALL RIGHT?
RICHIE, RICHIE!"

AND HE DIDN'T RESPOND.

IN ITSELF, HYPOTHERMIA IS
A VERY VIOLENT INTERNAL DEATH.

EXTERNALLY, IT LOOKED
VERY PEACEFUL, VERY INVITING,

VERY INVITING TO GO TO SLEEP
AND JUST MAYBE WAKE UP LATER.

BARELY CONSCIOUS AFTER
MORE THAN AN HOUR IN THE WATER,

KELLY HEARS SOMETHING OVERHEAD.

A COAST GUARD RESCUE HELICOPTER.

IT LOOKED LIKE
THE ANGEL OF MERCY COME OVER.

I WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT
AND GRAB THE FLASHLIGHT,

AND I STARTED TO MANEUVER IT
UP INTO THE SKY,

HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY WOULD SEE IT
AT THAT POINT.

THE HELICOPTER
IS EQUIPPED WITH A BASKET

TO HOIST SURVIVORS TO SAFETY.

BUT IT'S MEANT TO EXTRACT THEM
FROM LIFEBOATS.

KELLY AND ALMOST ALL OF THE REST
OF THE CREW ARE IN THE WATER.

THE INTENSE COLD HAS LEFT THEM

UNABLE TO GRAB ON
AND PULL THEMSELVES INTO IT.

A NAVY HELICOPTER ARRIVES NEXT,

AND RESCUE SWIMMER JAMES McCANN
PLUNGES IN.

HE'S TRAINED TO PULL SURVIVORS
FROM THE WATER.

I SWIM TO THE PERSON,

GRAB 'EM BY THE BACK
OF THEIR JACKET

AND DON'T EVEN CHECK TO SEE
IF THEY'RE ALIVE OR DEAD

AND SWIM OVER TO THE BASKET.

Narrator: McCANN IS THE SOLE
RESCUE SWIMMER ON THE SCENE.

ONLY HE CAN PULL MEN
DIRECTLY FROM THE WATER.

THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH
FACE DOWN IN THE WATER,

SOME OF THEM WERE HEAD UP
IN THE WATER,

WITH NO MOVEMENT WHATSOEVER.

THEY JUST KIND OF HAD THE,
THE, YOU KNOW,

THEIR ARMS LIMPED OUT HERE

AND THE VEST WAS
BASICALLY HOLDING THEM UP.

Narrator: McCANN BRAVES
THE DEADLY SEAS

FOR NEARLY AN HOUR, RETRIEVING
AS MANY CREWMEN AS HE CAN.

I KNEW I WAS GOING
INTO HYPOTHERMIA,

BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO QUIT.

UP IN THE HELICOPTER
THE CREW CHIEF SAW ME SHAKING,

AND HE CALLED IT,
HE PULLED ME IN.

IN THE END, ONLY THREE

ABLE SEAMAN PAUL DEWEY,
CHIEF MATE BOB CUSICK

AND THIRD MATE GENE KELLY.

WHY ME?

WHY WAS IT ME THAT MADE IT?

WHO KNOWS? WHO KNOWS?

BUT YEAH, MY TICKET
WASN'T OVER FOR THE RIDE.

THAT'S WHAT I KEEP
TELLING PEOPLE.

WHO KNOWS?

THE CAPSIZING
OF THE MARINE ELECTRIC

HAS LEFT 31 MEN DEAD.

BUT WHAT CAUSED IT
REMAINS A MYSTERY.

THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
WILL BECOME

THE MOST IMPORTANT MARITIME
INQUIRY IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

EVERYTHING CHANGED
BECAUSE OF THE MARINE ELECTRIC.

SEVEN HOURS AFTER IT CAPSIZED,

THE MARINE ELECTRIC FINALLY
DISAPPEARS INTO THE ATLANTIC.

31 MEMBERS OF
THE MARINE ELECTRIC'S CREW OF 34

ARE DEAD, INCLUDING
CAPTAIN PHILIP CORL.

TO THE MARITIME COMMUNITY,

THE SHOCK OF THE LOSS
OF THE MEN,

MANY OF WHOM DIED OF, UH,
OF HYPOTHERMIA

IN THOSE VERY COLD SEAS,

IT WAS A HUGE THING.

WHY DID THE MARINE ELECTRIC,

A SHIP THAT HAD SAILED THROUGH
ROUGH SEAS FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS,

CAPSIZE AND SINK TO THE BOTTOM
OF THE ATLANTIC?

LOOK HERE,
LET'S SEE WHERE WE ARE ON THIS.

IN PORTSMOUTH,
VIRGINIA, THE U.S. COAST GUARD

IMMEDIATELY CONVENES
A MARINE BOARD

TO INVESTIGATE THE DISASTER.

CAPTAIN PETER LAURIDSEN
IS IN CHARGE.

THE COAST GUARD
HAS THE AUTHORITY

TO INVESTIGATE
MARINE CASUALTIES.

THE COAST GUARD OFFICE SENT
INVESTIGATORS OUT IMMEDIATELY,

AND SO THEY WERE, THEY WERE
GATHERING INFORMATION

AND THEY WERE FEEDING IT TO US.

HEY, NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

HEY, WELCOME ABOARD.

BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUS
NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT,

THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION
SAFETY BOARD JOINS THE INQUIRY.

IF THERE'S
MORE THAN SIX DEATHS,

THEY AUTOMATICALLY HAD
A RESPONSIBILITY

TO INVESTIGATE ALSO.

OKAY, LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE AREAS OF INTEREST.

THE WEATHER SEEMS
LIKE AN OBVIOUS FACTOR.

BUT LAURIDSEN SUSPECTS IT WON'T
COMPLETELY EXPLAIN THE DISASTER.

THE WEATHER
SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM

WITH, UH, A VESSEL
THAT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY.

SO, UM, WHAT HAPPENED?

THE INQUIRY
WILL CONSIDER EVERYTHING

FROM THE SHIP'S
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

TO HUMAN ERROR.

SO LAURIDSEN NEEDS TO SEE EVERY
SCRAP OF INFORMATION HE CAN GET.

WE'RE GONNA NEED THE SURVEY,

THE RECORDS, AND MANIFEST.

MANIFEST.
OKAY. GOT IT.

EVERYTHING THAT YOU GOT.

OKAY?

DIVERS SURVEY THE WRECK

AND DISCOVER THE HULL IN SEVERAL
LARGE PIECES ON THE SEAFLOOR,

PRESENTING LAURIDSEN

ITS CARGO OF NEARLY
25,000 TONS OF COAL.

THE HEAVY CARGOS
THAT BULK CARRIERS CONTAIN

HAVE TO BE LOADED
IN JUST THE RIGHT WAY,

OR IT CAN PUT A HUGE STRAIN
ON THE SHIP'S STRUCTURE

AND EVEN BREAK IT IN HALF.

IF YOU LOAD
THE HOLDS IN THE WRONG SEQUENCE,

IF YOU LOAD TOO MUCH IN ONE HOLD
AND NOT ENOUGH IN ANOTHER HOLD,

YOU CAN HAVE SITUATIONS

WHERE THE SHIP WILL LITERALLY
BREAK APART.

LAURIDSEN WONDERS IF THE CREW

MADE A DEADLY LOADING ERROR
BEFORE THEY EVER LEFT PORT.

-ALL GOOD?
-AS ALWAYS.

YEAH.

THE SEQUENCE IS IMPORTANT

SO YOU DON'T OVERSTRESS
THE VESSEL.

-ALL RIGHT?
-OKAY, THANKS, BOB.

OKAY, SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK

AT THE LOADING SEQUENCE HERE

AND LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT THE WEIGHTS.

LAURIDSEN CHECKS
THE CREW'S LOADING RECORDS,

BUT THERE'S NO SIGN
THEY MADE ANY MISTAKES.

NUMBER TWO...

THE CARGO WASN'T TOO HEAVY,

AND THE HOLDS WERE LOADED
IN THE CORRECT ORDER

TO AVOID STRAINING THE SHIP.

ONE.

THAT'S THE SEQUENCE
IT WAS LOADED.

IT WAS A NORMAL LOADING PROCESS,

SO WE KNOW NOW THE VESSEL
WAS NOT OVERSTRESSED

BEYOND THE CAPABILITY
OF THE SHIP TO HANDLE IT.

MEANWHILE, THE SHIP'S OWNER,

MARINE TRANSPORT LINES,

GOES PUBLIC WITH ITS THEORY
ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

IN ALL ACCIDENTS

YOU'RE GOING TO GET
ALL SORTS OF THEORIES.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ALL SORTS
OF INTERESTS

PROTECTING THEIR OWN INTERESTS.

FISHING VESSEL THEODORA
IS IN DISTRESS.

WE GOT TO GO LEND A HAND.

WHERE WERE THEY
WHEN YOU SAW THEM?

AROUND HERE.

THE COMPANY SUSPECTS THE SHIP

STRAYED INTO SHALLOW WATER

AND DAMAGED THE HULL WHEN THEY
DIVERTED TO HELP THE THEODORA.

THE THEORY THAT
THE COMPANY CAME UP WITH

IS THAT WHEN WE WENT
TO THE THEODORA

WE GOT OURSELVES
INTO TOO SHALLOW OF WATER

AND WE POUNDED THE BOTTOM.

OKAY, LET'S HEAR
WHAT WE GOT.

THE COAST GUARD
LISTENS TO RECORDINGS

OF THE CAPTAIN'S RADIO CALLS,

RELAYING THE MARINE ELECTRIC'S
POSITION

DURING THE THEODORA RESCUE
TO VERIFY IF THE THEORY IS TRUE.

THEY LISTEN CAREFULLY AS THE
CAPTAIN REPORTS HIS POSITION.

COAST GUARD,
THIS IS MARINE ELECTRIC.

WE ARE AT POSITION 37 DEGREES,
50.1 MINUTES NORTH,

74 DEGREES,
53.6 MINUTES WEST.

AND THEN CHECK
THAT POSITION

ON THE NAVIGATION CHART.

53.6 MINUTES WEST.

WEST.

THERE'S NO SIGN
THE CAPTAIN STEERED THE SHIP

INTO TROUBLE.

THEY WERE IN GOOD WATER.

THE SURVIVORS
TELL THE SAME STORY.

THEY DIDN'T HEAR
OR FEEL ANYTHING

INDICATING THEY HAD RUN AGROUND.

TAKE A HAMMER AND HIT
THE ROOF OF YOUR HOUSE

AND DOES A PERSON
IN THE CELLAR HEAR IT?

SURE THEY DO.

HAD WE HEARD THAT NOISE,

WE WOULD'VE BEEN SEARCHING
FOR ANY BREACHES IN THE HULL,

FLOODING, ET CETERA.

THEY HAD SOLID WITNESSES

THAT, THAT THEY HAD
THEIR POSITIONS MARKED,

THEY KNEW WHERE THEY WERE,

AND THEY DIDN'T,
THEY DIDN'T HIT BOTTOM.

LAURIDSEN AND HIS TEAM
WILL HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER THEORY

TO EXPLAIN WHY
THE MARINE ELECTRIC WENT DOWN

TAKING 31 MEN ALONG WITH IT.

THE INQUIRY INTO THE SINKING
OF THE MARINE ELECTRIC

HAS LITTLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
TO WORK WITH.

THE SHIP IS AT THE BOTTOM
OF THE ATLANTIC.

BUT THEY DO HAVE THE CAPTAIN'S
RADIO CALLS TO THE COAST GUARD.

COAST GUARD, WE ARE
POSITIVELY IN BAD SHAPE.

THEY'RE HOPING
THE TAPES MIGHT OFFER A CLUE

TO WHAT CAUSED THE DISASTER.

COAST GUARD,
THIS IS MARINE ELECTRIC.

I AM LISTING AT 8 DEGREES NOW.

IT'S CLEAR THE SHIP
LOST STABILITY FAST

AND WAS ON THE VERGE OF SINKING

BY THE TIME THE CAPTAIN GAVE
THE ORDER TO ABANDON SHIP.

HE SEEMED TO RECOGNIZE,
I WOULD SAY AT THE CORRECT TIME,

WE GOT TO GET OFF THIS SHIP,
WE GOT TO ABANDON SHIP.

HE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.

I'M GOING DOWN
BY THE HEAD.

I SEEM TO BE TAKING ON
WATER FORWARD.

STOP IT.
PLAY THAT BACK.

I'M GOING DOWN
BY THE HEAD.

I SEEM TO BE TAKING ON
WATER FORWARD.

HMM.
FLOODING DOWN BY THE BOW?

THE CAPTAIN
TOLD THE COAST GUARD

HE THOUGHT HE HAD FLOODING
IN THE BOW.

RISE AND SHINE!

CAPTAIN WANTS ALL DECK OFFICERS
ON THE BRIDGE!

IF HE WAS RIGHT,
IT WOULD EXPLAIN THE SHIP

SLOPING TOWARD THE BOW THE WAY
THIRD MATE GENE KELLY REMEMBERS.

I'D BEEN ON ENOUGH SHIPS
THAT MY SENSES TOLD ME

THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I COULD FEEL THE,
THE BOW WAS DOWN A BIT.

SO IT WAS NOTICEABLE.

BUT WHAT CAUSED
THE FLOODING IN THE FIRST PLACE?

AT THE MARINE BOARD
OF INVESTIGATION HEARING,

THE SHIP'S OWNERS PRESENT
ANOTHER SHOCKING EXPLANATION.

BULK CARRIERS LIKE
THE MARINE ELECTRIC

HAVE MASSIVE CARGO HATCHES.

IN THEIR TESTIMONY,
THE COMPANY SAYS

THE CREW FAILED
TO SECURE A HATCH

IN THE FORWARD PART OF THE SHIP.

HATCHES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WATERTIGHT.

THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
WATERTIGHT VERSUS WEATHER-TIGHT.

WATERTIGHT IS WATER
UNDER PRESSURE.

WEATHER-TIGHT IS JUST THE RAIN.

IT'S SEAMANSHIP 101:

IF A HATCH ISN'T FASTENED WATERTIGHT,

THE CARGO COMPARTMENT
COULD FLOOD IN HEAVY SEAS.

IT MIGHT ACCOUNT FOR THE LOW BOW
THE CAPTAIN REPORTED

BEFORE THE MARINE ELECTRIC SANK.

BUT ONE OF THE SURVIVORS,
CHIEF MATE BOB CUSICK,

WAS IN CHARGE
OF THE LOADING PROCESS.

AND HE KNOWS THE CREW
DID NOTHING WRONG.

CUSICK PREPARES TO TESTIFY
BEFORE THE INQUIRY.

HE HAS HIS OWN THEORY ABOUT WHY
THE MARINE ELECTRIC WENT DOWN.

AND HE HAS NO INTENTION

OF LETTING HIS FELLOW MARINERS
TAKE THE BLAME.

THERE WAS
A GREAT DEAL OF MUTUAL RESPECT.

THEY WERE A TEAM.

A LOT OF THEM HAD BEEN
ON THE SHIP FOR A LONG TIME.

AND HE ALWAYS SAID THEY WERE
LIKE A BAND OF BROTHERS.

BUT CUSICK FACES
AN UPHILL BATTLE.

A MARITIME BOARD
OF INQUIRY, IN THE OLD DAYS,

THEY CERTAINLY DIDN'T HAVE
SMILES ON THEIR FACES.

IT WASN'T
A FRIENDLY CONVERSATION.

THE CHIEF MATE RECOUNTS

HIS HARROWING STORY OF SURVIVAL

AFTER FALLING FROM THE DECK INTO
THE SEA ALONG WITH THE CREW.

HE COULD SEE
THE HULL OF THE SHIP.

UH, HE ACTUALLY SWAM
PAST HIS CABIN WINDOW,

WHICH WAS STILL LIT,
BUT NOW IT WAS UNDERWATER.

AND HE PEERED
INTO HIS CABIN WINDOW...

AND THEN CAME UP,
BROKE THE SURFACE,

LOOKED AROUND AND SAW NOTHING.

COURT SKETCHES
CAPTURE HIS STORY.

I KEPT SWIMMING, SWIMMING.

I COULD HEAR CRIES...

ALL SORTS OF GROANS AND CRIES.

AND THEN THE MIRACULOUS PART
ABOUT IT, AS YOU'VE HEARD,

IS MY RUNNING ACROSS A LIFEBOAT,

AND THEN I WAITED AND PRAYED
FOR THE DAYLIGHT TO COME.

ALL THE TIME I KEPT YELLING OUT,

UH, "LIFEBOAT HERE, COME HERE,
LIFEBOAT HERE!"

MAYBE THAT SOMEONE WAS THERE
THAT I COULD,

THAT COULD COME OVER
AND I COULD DRAG THEM IN.

IT'S AN EMOTIONAL ACCOUNT.

BUT IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING.

CUSICK GOES ON TO PRESENT
A COMPELLING NEW EXPLANATION

FOR THE SINKING
OF THE MARINE ELECTRIC.

HE WAS AN HONEST MAN,

HE WAS AN HONORABLE MAN,

AND THERE'S NO WAY
THAT HE WAS GONNA BETRAY

THE MEMORIES OF HIS SHIPMATES

BY LYING ABOUT THAT SHIP.

CUSICK CONFIRMS
THE SHIPPING COMPANY'S CHARGE

THAT THE MASSIVE HATCHES
WEREN'T SECURE,

BUT SAYS THE COMPANY,
NOT THE CREW, IS TO BLAME.

NOT ALL THE HATCHES
WERE 100% SECURED

BECAUSE SOME OF THEM JUST
WERE NOT MECHANICALLY USABLE.

FOR YEARS, CUSICK
HAS KEPT METICULOUS RECORDS

OF THE SHIP'S SLOW DETERIORATION

AND PRESENTS THEM
TO THE INQUIRY.

MY FATHER KNEW
THAT SHIP INSIDE AND OUT,

AND HE WASN'T AFRAID
TO TELL THE TRUTH.

BOB KNEW THE ILLS
OF THE SHIP.

HE HAD LISTS OF SHIPYARD JOBS
THAT WERE NOT DONE

BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY CUTS.

THE HATCHES ON THAT SHIP
WERE OLD, WARPED AND CRACKED,

DIDN'T FIT PROPERLY,

WERE SUPPOSED
TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED

IN THE LAST SHIPYARD PERIOD.

BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS
IN BAD SHAPE.

AND BOB HAD DRAWINGS OF HATCHES
THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED.

HE HAD THAT
IN HIS FILES AT HOME.

HIS TESTIMONY
DRIVES THE INQUIRY

TO DIG DEEP INTO THE SHIP'S
MAINTENANCE HISTORY,

WHERE THEY WILL FIND

ONE OF THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY'S
DARKEST SECRETS.

THE MARINE ELECTRIC
WAS A TRAGEDY

THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

UNBELIEVABLE!

THANK YOU.

THE MARINE BOARD
PORES OVER BOX AFTER BOX

OF THE MARINE ELECTRIC'S
REPAIR RECORDS,

SEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE

TO BACK UP CHIEF MATE
BOB CUSICK'S CLAIMS

OF NEGLIGENCE
BY THE SHIP'S OWNERS.

CUSICK'S RECORDS,
IT GAVE US SEVERAL LEADS.

YOU'RE GONNA GO BACK
TO THE COMPANY AND SAY,

"I WANT ALL YOUR INVOICES FOR
ALL THE REPAIRS YOU'VE DONE.

WE WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING
YOU DID OR DID NOT APPROVE."

YOU'RE GONNA MATCH UP INVOICES
TO WHAT WAS SAID BY WITNESSES,

BY WHAT MAYBE WAS SAID
IN PAST SHIPYARDS.

YOU'RE GONNA GO BACK
TO PAST SHIPYARDS,

MAYBE EVEN TWO, THREE YEARS
TO FIND OUT,

ESPECIALLY
ON THE MARINE ELECTRIC.

I'D GO BACK
AT LEAST THREE YEARS.

THE INQUIRY
CATCHES A LUCKY BREAK.

ONE OF THE SHIP'S HATCH COVERS
WAS REPLACED

JUST THREE MONTHS
BEFORE THE DISASTER.

THEY TRACK DOWN THE DISCARDED
HATCH IN A CONSTRUCTION YARD

AND ANALYZE ITS CONDITION.

WHAT THEY FIND IS ALARMING.

IT WAS PAPER THIN
TO, UM, 75% WASTAGE.

AND THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE
WAS JUST AS DETERIORATED.

THE COMPANY HAD WAITED
UNTIL IT WAS NEARLY CRUMBLING

TO REPLACE IT.

CUSICK HAD TESTIFIED
THAT THE COMPANY

ORDERED REPAIRS TO THE HATCHES
AND DECK BE DONE

USING SECOND-RATE MATERIALS,

INCLUDING AN EPOXY
KNOWN AS RED HAND,

WHICH IS MEANT TO BE
A TEMPORARY FIX.

IT'S NOT WATERTIGHT LONG-TERM,

AND NOT NEARLY AS STRONG
AS STEEL.

THE WORN-OUT HATCH COVER
BACKS UP HIS CLAIM.

THE RED HAND WAS USED
TO FILL CRACKS, AND THE SHIP,

THE SHIP HAD HUNDREDS OF THEM,
ON THE DECK,

ON THE SIDES OF THE HATCHES,

ON THE HATCH COVER PANELS
THEMSELVES;

THEY WERE EVERYWHERE.

IF YOU WALKED
ON THE HATCH COVERS,

YOU STOOD A REALLY GOOD CHANCE
OF FALLING THROUGH.

THESE HATCH COVERS
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT

TO KEEP TONS OF SEAWATER OUT,

AND THERE WERE HOLES IN THE DECK
THAT WERE CIRCLED

SO THAT PEOPLE
DIDN'T TRIP OVER THEM.

IT ALWAYS COMES BACK
TO MONEY, DOESN'T IT?

SO, WE'LL WELD A PLATE
OVER THAT HOLE,

AND THAT'LL KEEP US GOING.

WE'LL GET THE REPAIRS LATER,
NEXT TIME WE'RE IN DRY DOCK.

MOST REVEALING
IN THE COMPANY RECORDS

IS THE NOTE OF ANOTHER
CRITICALLY DEGRADED SURFACE,

THE DRY CARGO HATCH.

IT'S LOCATED AT THE BOW,
WHICH WAS OFTEN SUBMERGED

AS THE SHIP CUT
THROUGH THE HIGH WAVES.

COAST GUARD,
THIS IS MARINE ELECTRIC.

I SEEM TO BE TAKING ON
WATER FORWARD.

MAKES SENSE.
DOWN BY THE BOW!

IT'S THE MISSING
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

INVESTIGATORS NOW HAVE
A CLEAR PICTURE

OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
THAT LED TO THE TRAGEDY.

CAN'T SEE A DAMN THING.

THE SERIOUS FLOODING
STARTED SOMEWHERE

IN THAT EARLY EVENING WATCH.

WAVES BREAKING OVER THE BOW

POURED THROUGH
THE COMPROMISED DRY CARGO HATCH

AND DECK PLATING.

SO SPACES
THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD WATER

FILLED WITH WATER.

THE MASSIVE WEIGHT
OF WATER COLLECTING IN THE BOW

THEN BEGAN TO DRAG IT DOWN,

EXPOSING THE ENORMOUS
HATCH COVERS BEHIND

TO THE RAGING OCEAN.

THE HATCH COVERS,
STARTED BEING HIT

BY THOUSANDS OF TONS OF WATER.

THE WAVES POURED

THROUGH THE DEGRADED
HATCH COVERS

AND BEGAN COLLECTING
INSIDE THE HATCHES.

COAST GUARD,
I'M GOING DOWN BY THE HEAD.

THE HATCHES WERE BEING
COMPLETELY COVERED BY WATER.

THE RAPIDLY FLOODING SHIP

BECAME MORE AND MORE UNSTABLE
AND STARTED LISTING TO ONE SIDE.

ONCE THAT HAPPENED,
THE VESSEL WAS LOST.

ABANDON SHIP RIGHT NOW!

GO!

WE ARE ABANDONING SHIP
RIGHT NOW!

THE INQUIRY NOW KNOWS
THE MARINE ELECTRIC

WAS A TICKING TIME BOMB
OF SHODDY REPAIRS.

YET SOMEHOW IT PASSED INSPECTIONS

IN FEBRUARY 1981 AND JUNE 1982,

JUST SEVEN MONTHS
BEFORE THE DISASTER.

30 MINUTES
FOR AN INSPECTION. UNBELIEVABLE!

RECORDS FROM THE COAST GUARD

AND THE AMERICAN BUREAU
OF SHIPPING

REVEAL SHOCKING SIGNS OF RUSHED
INSPECTIONS AND SKIPPED STEPS.

THE AMERICAN BUREAU OF
SHIPPING IS THE PRIVATE AGENCY

THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SURVEY THE
HULL AND SHOW THAT THAT'S SAFE.

IT SHOULD HAVE
ALMOST TAKEN DAYS;

EVERY HATCH COVER,
EVERY WATERTIGHT OPENING,

EVERY WEATHER-TIGHT OPENING

SHOULD HAVE,
SHOULD HAVE BEEN SURVEYED.

THERE WAS ONE CRACK
IN THE, IN THE DECK,

THEY HAD SPRAY-PAINTED
A CIRCLE AROUND IT,

AND THEN THE COAST GUARD
INSPECTORS STEPPED OVER IT

WITHOUT MAKING ANY COMMENT.

THE MARINE BOARD FINDS

BOTH THE AMERICAN BUREAU
OF SHIPPING AND THE COAST GUARD

RESPONSIBLE
FOR IMPROPER INSPECTIONS

AND FAILING TO ACKNOWLEDGE
APPARENT DAMAGE

ON BOARD THE MARINE ELECTRIC.

INCREDIBLY,

DURING THE 40-YEAR-OLD SHIP'S
LAST INSPECTION,

THE CLEARLY DETERIORATED
HATCH COVERS WEREN'T EVEN TESTED

TO SEE IF THEY COULD KEEP OUT
THE RAIN--

A PROCEDURE TYPICALLY PERFORMED
WITH A FIREHOSE.

FOR A SHIP THIS OLD,

AND THE CONDITIONS
OF THE HATCHES,

TO NOT CONDUCT A HOSE TEST
WHEN IT'S IN THE YARD,

THE BEST I CAN SAY
IS NEGLIGENT, AT BEST.

UNBELIEVABLE!

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER
THAT INSPECTORS

FROM BOTH AGENCIES

MISSED BLATANT EVIDENCE
OF POOR MAINTENANCE.

IT'S JUST AMAZING
THAT A SHIP THIS AGE,

THIS CONDITION,
DID NOT GET THE SCRUTINY

FROM THE REGULATORY AGENCIES
THAT IT SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
WITH ANY SORT OF REGULATION

IS IT GETS VERY EASY TO HAVE
YOUR STANDARDS SLOWLY DROP.

THE AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING
AND THE COAST GUARD

SIMPLY GOT SLOPPY.

BUT WITH DOZENS

OF OTHER WORLD WAR II-ERA
BULK CARRIERS STILL IN SERVICE,

THE COAST GUARD WILL NEED
TO MOVE FAST

TO PREVENT A SIMILAR TRAGEDY
BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN.

OKAY.

THE INQUIRY INTO
THE MARINE ELECTRIC TRAGEDY

NOT ONLY INVESTIGATES
WHY THE SHIP CAPSIZED,

BUT ALSO ASKS
WHY THE COAST GUARD

WAS UNABLE TO SAVE
MORE THAN THREE OF THE 34 MEN

WHO WENT INTO THE WATER.

A COAST GUARD HELICOPTER
WAS FIRST ON THE SCENE,

BUT TRAGICALLY,
THE CHOPPER AND CREW

WEREN'T EQUIPPED FOR THE TASK.

SO A COAST GUARD CREW
UH, AT THIS TIME

HAS A BIG HELICOPTER
THAT CAN LAND ON WATER--

IF THE SEAS ARE FLAT ENOUGH--
AND A RESCUE BASKET.

THOSE ARE THEIR TOOLS
TO GET PEOPLE FROM IN TROUBLE

TO OUT OF TROUBLE.

BUT DURING
THE MARINE ELECTRIC DISASTER,

THE RAGING SEAS MADE LANDING IMPOSSIBLE,

AND THE FRIGID WATER HAD
RENDERED THE SURVIVORS HELPLESS.

DURING
THE MARINE ELECTRIC CASE

THE BASKET WENT DOWN TO PEOPLE
WHO COULDN'T CLIMB INTO IT,

AND NOW THEY'RE JUST GUYS
IN A HELICOPTER

TURNING FUEL INTO NOISE
AND WATCHING PEOPLE NOT MAKE IT.

THE COAST GUARD

HOVERED HELPLESSLY
FOR 45 MINUTES

UNTIL A NAVY HELICOPTER ARRIVED
WITH A RESCUE SWIMMER.

THE NAVY
HAD TO HAVE RESCUE SWIMMERS

TO PICK UP DOWNED AVIATORS,

AND HERE THEY WERE BEING USED
ON PROFESSIONAL MARINERS,

AND IT WORKED.

SO THE CONGRESS DIRECTED
THAT THE COAST GUARD

STAND UP
A RESCUE SWIMMER PROGRAM

SO PEOPLE COULD ENTER THE WATER

AND ASSIST VICTIMS
WHO COULDN'T HELP THEMSELVES.

IN 1984,
THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE TRAGEDY,

THE COAST GUARD ESTABLISHED
ITS RESCUE SWIMMER SCHOOL

BASED IN ELIZABETH CITY,
NORTH CAROLINA.

TODAY, IT'S THE STANDARD
BY WHICH

ALL OTHER MARITIME RESCUE
TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE MEASURED.

THE FACILITY CAN CREATE
REALISTIC STORM CONDITIONS,

COMPLETE WITH LIGHTNING
AND HIGH WAVES

TO TEST A TRAINEE'S ABILITY
TO REMAIN CALM AND FOCUSED

IN RESCUE SITUATIONS.

PETTY OFFICER JOHN DISALLE IS
ONE OF THE SCHOOL'S INSTRUCTORS.

THIS IS A,
A FANTASTIC TRAINING FACILITY.

WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE
THE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS,

THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, TO GO
OUT THERE AND DEPLOY ALONE.

BECAUSE ONCE YOU LEAVE
THAT HELICOPTER,

IT'S UP TO YOU AND YOU ONLY
TO HELP.

WE WILL SOUND OFF EACH LAP,
YOU UNDERSTAND?

YES, SIR!

THE PROGRAM IS

PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY GRUELING.

OF THE APPROXIMATELY
75 CANDIDATES

WHO SIGN UP EACH YEAR,

ON AVERAGE LESS THAN 50%
WILL GRADUATE.

NOW THEY LOOK
AT THESE KIDS COMING OUT OF HERE

AS THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE.

THEY'VE GONE THROUGH
TWICE THE PHYSICAL TRAINING

I WENT THROUGH,

UM, THEY ARE A HONED
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE.

AS OF 2017,
THE COAST GUARD ESTIMATES

ITS RESCUE SWIMMERS HAVE SAVED
MORE THAN 21,000 LIVES.

AND IT'S THAT MOTTO
"SO OTHERS MAY LIVE," YOU KNOW,

IT'S NOT SO I CAN,
I CAN GO HOME, TOO.

IT'S SO, SO OTHERS MAY LIVE.

I'M GONNA GO DOWN THERE, AND I'M
BRINGING SOME PEOPLE HOME, UM,

OR I'M GONNA DIE TRYING.

THE COAST GUARD'S
FINAL REPORT

ON THE MARINE ELECTRIC DISASTER

BRINGS HISTORIC CHANGES TO
THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY AS WELL.

BEGINNING IN 1984,
SHIPS ARE NOW REQUIRED

TO PROVIDE AN IMMERSION SUIT

FOR EACH MERCHANT MARINE
SAILING IN COLD WATERS.

WEARING ONE CAN DELAY
THE ONSET OF HYPOTHERMIA

BY UP TO SIX HOURS.

I TAUGHT OCEAN SURVIVAL,
AND WHENEVER,

WELL, WHEN WE WOULD GET
TO THE POINT IN THE COURSE

WHERE WE'RE GONNA LEARN
HOW TO USE IMMERSION SUITS,

I WOULD ALWAYS START OUT
BY GOING, OKAY,

I'M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY,
I'M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY

ABOUT THE MARINE ELECTRIC AND
ALL THESE MARINERS THAT DIED,

AND THE FACT THAT--
I ALWAYS GET EMOTIONAL--

UM, THAT YOU GUYS ARE LUCKY

BECAUSE YOU HAVE
IMMERSION SUITS NOW.

BECAUSE THESE GUYS DIED,
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE 'EM.

THE MARINE BOARD'S
RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO LEAD

TO STRICTER
INSPECTION REGULATIONS

AND GREATER OVERSIGHT
BY THE COAST GUARD

AND THE AMERICAN BUREAU
OF SHIPPING.

THE MARINE ELECTRIC
WAS AN OLD BULK CARRIER

THAT THEY'D LET GET AWAY
FROM THEMSELVES

IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING,

PARTICULARLY THE HATCH COVERS
AND THE MAIN DECK.

THE COMPANY FAILED,
THE COAST GUARD FAILED,

ABS FAILED, YOU KNOW,
ALL THIS STUFF WAS HAPPENING,

AND PEOPLE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY,

AND CUSICK GAVE US
THE KEY TO IT.

THROUGH THAT TARGETING,
THEY WERE ABLE TO FORCE

MORE THAN 90
OLD WORLD WAR II-TYPE SHIPS

OUT OF SERVICE.

FOR BOB CUSICK,
WHO DIED IN 2013,

THE SWEEPING CHANGES BROUGHT
AT LEAST SOME RELIEF

FROM HIS PAINFUL MEMORIES
OF THE DISASTER.

I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT
ABOUT HOW MANY LIVES

MY FATHER HELPED TO SAVE,

AND I THINK KNOWING
THAT SO MANY OF THESE SHIPS

WERE TAKEN OFF THE SEAS
BECAUSE OF HIS TESTIMONY,

I THINK THAT DID HELP MY FATHER

GET OVER SOME
OF HIS SURVIVOR'S GUILT.

THE LEGACY
OF THE MARINE ELECTRIC

WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST
REFORM EFFORTS

IN AMERICAN MARITIME HISTORY.

WE HONOR THE 31
THAT WERE LOST.

WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING
ABOUT THE LOSS OF THE VESSEL,

BUT WE MADE SURE THAT THEIR
LOSS, UM, WAS A LESSON LEARNED.