On Oct.20, 1976, the worst ferry disaster in the history of the United States occurred on the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish. Seventy-seven lives were lost.
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The 1987 loss of the Philippine ferry Doña Paz, with an estimated 4,386 dead, is the largest peacetime loss recorded.
The sinking of Le Joola is the second-worst non-military maritime disaster in number of lives lost. The first is considered to be MV Doña Paz in 1987 with an estimated number of over 4,000 dead. RMS Titanic, which sank in 1912 with 1,517 dead, would be third according to the World Almanac and the New York Times.
On Oct.20, 1976, the worst ferry disaster in the history of the United States occurred on the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish. Seventy-seven lives were lost.
The nation's oldest continuously operating ferry service crosses the Connecticut River between Rocky Hill and Glastonbury. The original ferry, which dates back to 1655, was a small raft pushed across the river using long poles.
The Rocky Hill ferry has earned a place in history as the nation's oldest continuously operating ferry service. The Hollister III, an open flatboat is towed across the Connecticut River a towboat. The Rocky Hill ferry has earned a place in history as the nation's oldest continuously operating ferry service.
The Hans Hedtoft has an unusual parallel with the Titanic. She was widely considered to be among the safest ships afloat upon completion. She had design features that should have made sinking slow enough to ensure survival by rescue. She was lost on the return leg of her maiden voyage.
Did any of the ferries sink? Fire Island Ferries is proud of its record of never having to abandon ship, but it came close in 1976, when the Fire Island Queen got stuck on a sandbar in the Captree channel, according to Edwin Mooney Jr.'s book, “Ferries to Fire Island: 1856-2003.” Rachelle Blidner explains.
The direct cause of the disaster was human error: the assistant bosun, responsible for closing the bow doors of this roll-on/roll-off ferry, had fallen asleep in his cabin and slept through the alarm telling crew that the ship was sailing.
As Sewol capsized, some passengers followed the announcements to stay put, even as the water came in. Most of the student passengers obeyed the announcements. Some passengers, who disobeyed the announcements, climbed to the top of the ship or jumped into the water and were rescued.