CHARTS used by the QE2 when it grounded off America with 1800
passengers on board were unreliable, an accident investigation report
said yesterday.
The ship grounded twice in quick succession on uncharted and
previously unsurveyed rocks off the east coast of America in August last
year.
Damage was confined to the forward half of the vessel, and crew
members managed to stop the flow of water into the ship. No-one was
injured.
Yesterday's report by the Department of Transport's Marine Accident
Investigation Branch found the depth of water in the area was
''significantly less'' than that shown on charts used by the QE2.
Another immediate cause of the accident was that the height of tide
had been overestimated, it said.
Other contributory factors included high speed and failure to heed
fully merchant shipping guidance with respect to the planning and
conduct of passages.
Responding to the report, QE2 owner Cunard said it was satisfied the
cause of grounding was ''significantly shallower depths than those
charted''.
''The QE2 grounded on shoals which should have been shown on the chart
but were not,'' said a company statement.
The vessel was travelling from Massachusetts to New York in fine
weather with light winds, said the report.
After the grounding, crew members ''acted swiftly in assessing the
extentof damage and steps were satisfactorily taken to monitor and limit
ingress of water''.
No-one was injured, and passengers were kept informed of the situation
until they were disembarked from the vessel.
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