Rhine River closed

[RT Firefly]

Hiya,
** Barge overturns.** 2600 tons H2SO4 on board.

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/13/5830301-ship-carrying-sulfuric-acid-capsizes-in-germany

 

[Woodsong]

what on earth could cause that boat to capsize on a river?

 

[Carey]

Woodsong wrote:

what on earth could cause that boat to capsize on a river?

Poor center of gravity combined with current?

*

 

[Marin]

I and my film crew have driven that stretch of the river several times. It is easy to underestimate the current and turbulence unless you see it in person. By all accounts I have read, that stretch of the Rhine is very treacherous. It's not as bad as it used to be but it's still tricky to navigate. Also, if the barge hit or hung up on any obstruction on the bottom the current could easily swing it and once it started pushing on the upriver side, the barge would go over pretty quickly.

The Lorelei, which is near where this capsizing occurred, is one of the most dangerous river sections in the world. It's been tamed to a degree by dredging and other schemes but it remains a very treacherous place. We've watched the big power barges negotiate the Lorelei from on top of it, and it's obvious it requires some very precise boat handling.

-- Edited by Marin on Thursday 13th of January 2011 02:34:12 PM

 

[skipperdude]

Wow!!
*Sulfuric acid. What are the implications

sd

 

[markpierce]

More importantly, where are the two missing crew members?

 

[healhustler]

My wife and I are also fascinated with that area of the river, having stood on the legendary Lorelei, just like Marin was saying. We have nothing but admiration for those pilots. *The current and traffic on that river gives no moments of rest. and you can hardly blink before you'd be in trouble. *I'm not sure that you could spin a 360 ft. boat in that area of the river without grounding on bow and stern. *If he caught ground while passing oncoming traffic, bowed into the bank and the stern came around, that current would be an awesome force to deal with broadside in a narrow, flat hull. *Hope the guys are OK.....otherwise, the Legend of Lorelei and her ships upon the rocks continue as the have for hundreds of years.