[Closed] Ghost ship full of cannibal rats could be about to crash into Devon coast

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[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/finest-headline-ive-ever-seen ]http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/finest-headline-ive-ever-seen[/url]
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cool. I don't understand from the article why the company that owns the ship hasn't gone and got it and why is no-one charging the company with the responsibility.

Because nobody actually knows where the ship is!

why the company that owns the ship hasn't gone and got it and why is no-one charging the company with the responsibility.

The Company that owned the ship will no longer exist. Most ships are set up as individual Companies to limit any liability.

There is doubt over her position and if it is still afloat. The Ocean is a big place.

The bigger question is why did the Canadian Coastguard cut her lose in International waters after getting her under control. If it comes near us, we should get it and tow it back to Canada before letting it go.

Blimey, Devon looks like its getting a hard winter!

cool. I don't understand from the article why the company that owns the ship hasn't gone and got it and why is no-one charging the company with the responsibility

There's a lot of junk out at sea. Mostly shipping containers floating just under the surface, fine if you're a supertanker or container ship, deadly if you're a small boat. Just look at the number of Vende/Volvo/BT/BOC/Clipper/etc racers that lose keels, rudders or big chunks off the bow.

I heard/read it was west coast of Scotland/Ireland. Canadians "apparently" lost it whilst towing with tugs and thought **** it, let it go!

Wouldn't you eventually end up with one rat who would then die if starvation?

That's got to be worth a fortune in scrap, hasn't it?

That's got to be worth a fortune in scrap, hasn't it?

About 600k, loads of people looking for it just to take it for scrap.

Slightly concerning our Navy can't find it and sink it though.

There's a lot of junk out at sea. Mostly shipping containers floating just under the surface, fine if you're a supertanker or container ship, deadly if you're a small boat. Just look at the number of Vende/Volvo/BT/BOC/Clipper/etc racers that lose keels, rudders or big chunks off the bow.

You seen "All Is Lost"? Deadly for small boats, check.

£600,000??!? I'll have it!

Sod the scrap, that miles bigger than my house, anyone got a boat I can borrow?

Bring it on.

The good people of Devon and Cornwall have been wrecking ships for years. Most of the folks who live on the north coast could take on cannibal rats no problems. Might deter the holiday makers though 🙂

Like how they've really narrowed it down to where it might strike - Devon, Cornwall, Ireland or Scotland

I love the way it was abandoned over a debt dispute.

Man in suit and bowler hat: 'Hello, do you have that money you owe me?'

Captain and crew: 'Peg it!!'

About 600k, loads of people looking for it just to take it for scrap.

Slightly concerning our Navy can't find it and sink it though.

Not sure who's looking for it and with what?

The Navy are not looking for it. It would also cost a fortune. Besides they probably wouldn't be allowed to sink it and they haven't got the skills or equipment to take it in tow.

Mostly shipping containers floating just under the surface, fine if you're a supertanker or container ship, deadly if you're a small boat.

A 40' container can make a mess of any ship, probably not outright sink it but certainly do significant damage.

How can they not know where it is?? 😯

Wouldn't you eventually end up with one rat who would then die if starvation?

Giant rats, hungry ones, big enough to crew the ship. Just looking for somewhere convenient to put ashore.

How can they not know where it is??

Not many people know this, but ships are very like socks in that respect. And the Atlantic is nature's sock drawer. Or something like that.

How can they not know where it is??
Not many people know this, but ships are very like socks in that respect. And the Atlantic is nature's sock drawer. Or something like that.

Who are "they"? This thing is in International waters.

The Atlantic is a big ****ing place. What would you use to look for it/track it?

The Atlantic is a big **** place. What would you use to look for it/track it?

Could we get Flipper on the case?

Don't they have a black box or a beacon or something? Can't the use satellites to track it?

How can they not know where it is??

Maybe they could identify the iceberg in the background and find it that way

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shermer75 you just made getting up worthwhile

The article says there's emergency beacons on board. Start triangulating, people! It's worth £600,000!!

emsz - Member
Don't they have a black box or a beacon or something? Can't the use satellites to track it?

A black box is just a data recorder. The emergency beacons went off but the batteries will be long dead by now. The satellites would have to find it first, if nobody will pay for a sea search then there ain't no way they'll be paying for satellite time.

The emergency beacons only go off if it sinks

I want one

The emergency beacons only go off if it sinks

By design yes. But false alarms on crewed and maintained ships are common. Apparently they did pick up a signal a few months ago, we could mean it has sank or something has gone wrong with the beacon. Either way the battery will be finished by now.

I reckon its headed here: [url] http://www.goonhilly.org/ [/url]

those rats are saying "you can't find us - we'll find you"

How much does a missile cost? Because I have a plan.

How much does a missile cost?

A lot.

There's a lot of junk out at sea. Mostly shipping containers floating just under the surface, fine if you're a supertanker or container ship, deadly if you're a small boat. Just look at the number of Vende/Volvo/BT/BOC/Clipper/etc racers that lose keels, rudders or big chunks off the bow.

A guy I know spent a few years whilst studying to be an engineer delivering yachts between Austrlia and New Zealand, happily sailing along in bright sunshine one day he hears a huge crash and the boat stops dead and starts filling up with water, the thing sunk in about 4 minutes. He jumps over board and starts swimming about when he realises he can stand up. It was a shipping container about 18inches below the surface. He was sailing in partnership with another yacht that was about 1/2 a mile away so get rescued. He hates shipping containers 😆 I had no idea what a problem the things are.

I vote we find it and maroon Ian Duncan Smith with the unemployed cannibal rats so he can then lecture them about their slovenly ways.....

That's a nice looking boat, I'll have it. Just tie it up in one of them empty piers in Leith then do battle with the rats. Or, tell them it's sinking, and they'll all jump off.

How much does a missile cost?

A lot.

how far away from the coast do 'international waters' start?
great plan if you want to become a hermit, buy a boat or go and find that one and just sail round quiet waters somewhere. no tax, no work but little or no cycling 🙁

Wouldn't you eventually end up with one rat who would then die if starvation

That would be one big, evil rat though. I'm liking this thread.

Okay - well how about the cheapest projectile that can fired long distances? C'mon work with me here.

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how far away from the coast do 'international waters' start?

It's debatable. Probably 200 miles from the coast is the best answer.

As much as I enjoy riding, and everything that comes with it, these kind of threads are the best on the entire forum.

That would be one big, evil rat though.

So Robert Maxwell didn't die overboard

Okay - well how about the cheapest projectile that can fired long distances? C'mon work with me here.

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^^Brilliant!

Pigface - Member
...A guy I know spent a few years whilst studying to be an engineer delivering yachts between Austrlia and New Zealand, happily sailing along in bright sunshine one day he hears a huge crash and the boat stops dead and starts filling up with water, the thing sunk in about 4 minutes...

My brother was delivering a very expensive yacht from Oz to SA 2 years ago.

At 4am he was woken up by a crash noise. Popped up on deck, asked the guy on watch what had happened. No idea, but seems ok. Went back down, ankle deep water already, roused the rest of the crew. Boat sank in less than 10 minutes. Then followed a period of hoping someone would respond to their Mayday. Luckily picked up within a day.

But back to the original problem. It may be a bad idea to try to sink this ship.

t's obvious that by now the rats have evolved into super mutants as a result of cannibalism, so they'll be big and clever. How clever? They have got a stealth technology that can hide an entire cruise liner from the best detection technology of the word's navies and more importantly the salvage guys.

Try to sink it, and they are going to be real cranky. I shudder at the likely response. Probably sail up the Thames and eat the contents of the Houses of Parliament. Oh, maybe not such a bad idea, after all... 🙂

Okay - well how about the cheapest projectile that can fired long distances? C'mon work with me here.

It's not just being cheap and able to be fired long distances, it has to sink the ship when it gets there. unless of course you're planning on taking ownership, steering it to the bahamas, and living out a life of luxury. in which case absolutely this

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What could possibly go wrong?

Or they could just ask the bloke who took the photo where he is.

The Canadian government has apologised for both this and Celine Dion on several occasions buddeh'.

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We hit something just off the coast of Majorca, just a couple of miles away from the port at Palma in fact. 20+ knots then something decided it liked the look of one of the props and wanted to keep it and the shaft! Luckily the rudder stopped it getting ripped clean out the back if the boat, unfortunately 12 rather large bolts all shearing at the same time can do some damage - in this case one took out the sea-water intake before it gets to the stop cock!

One engine gone, steering gone, lots of water coming in 18-24 inches in the bilge before we manage to stem the flow. Mayday call made whilst trying to plug the hole, and firing flares is fun 😀 (in hindsight)

Absolutely no idea what we hit, container was the only thing anyone could come up with that would do that sort of damage. The sound of bilge alarms going off one after the other is one I don't think I'll ever forget. Kinda took the edge off the holiday a bit too!

EDIT: why don't we just sink the ship with a container??

My guess - it's already been picked up for salvage.
Probably arranged by the Canadians who 'lost' it.

THIS GETS WORSE!

Not only have Canadians unleashed death ship plague rats upon us they've banned Marmite.

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25867613 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25867613[/url]

I hope ambassadors are being called in for a stern talking to at the very least.

it's already been picked up for salvage.

No it hasn't.

No it hasn't.

Prove it

😉

That would be one big, evil rat though.

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That'll be why Operation Yewtree hasn't picked him up yet!

Prove it

Is this the atheist thread?

If it been picked up it would of required a tug and a salvage team to go onboard.

Then it would have be towed to a port,you would need permission from the Coast State if you are going through their 12' limit, the port would have to agree to allow entry. It can only be broken in licensed facility. It is not going to happen "under the radar".

The ship would make a brilliant 'house' for a future version of Big Brother. I'd watch that to see killer rats eating irritating self promoting wannabees in their sleep

I watch that to see killer rats eating irritating self promoting wannabees in their sleep.

frank - That's a bit dark!

Is this the atheist thread?
If it been picked up it would of required a tug and a salvage team to go onboard.
Then it would have be towed to a port,you would need permission from the Coast State if you are going through their 12' limit, the port would have to agree to allow entry. It can only be broken in licensed facility. It is not going to happen "under the radar".

I hope not or the fun police will be along any second!

Of course, if I was to pick the ship up and drag it to somewhere in Africa or to a beach in Bangladesh, there is a chance I could get someone to take it, and even Roland might find a quiet place to retire to!

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It is not going to happen "under the radar".

winston_dog - Member
I watch that to see killer rats eating irritating self promoting wannabees in their sleep.
frank - That's a bit dark!

Switch the lights on?

erm I thought no-one could find it? if an inanimate object can get lost all by itself I'm sure some shady blokes could keep it hidden

FFS. It is in the middle of the Ocean at the moment.

When you started to bring it close to the land it would be spotted. It's not exactly small. By shady blokes I take it you mean Dr Evil with a volcanic lair, which he can use to hide a ship.
It isn't even particularity valuable, if it was then there would be salvage companies out searching for it.

Winston, I think you may be in danger if turning into the fun police yourself. And as the police, you can't prove anything right now 😉

In answer to some of the (sensible) questions, I was reading about this the other day, but can't recall where (sorry) but what I recall is:

Yes, there's at least one salvage guy actively hunting for this, and I think he's where the "cannibal mutant rats" thing came from originally, I think it's probably the Belgian fella referred to in the OP's linked article. He was talking about how, if he finds it, the first thing he'll have to do is get heavy with the rat poison.

Although they can't pinpoint it, there's been a "shape" picked up on either satellite or radar (satellite, I think) that was about the right size and shape, not long ago, which is where the "heading this way" news came from.

The fact that the lifeboat emergency beacons HAVEN'T been detected as being activated is good evidence that the ship is still afloat (somewhere) as they would automatically activate if they hit seawater (i.e. if the thing sank).

Re. the "owners" - as an abandoned vessel in international waters, the "owner" is whoever gets to it first. Hence the interest from the Belgian fella, and I think others.

Interesting to learn that containers float like that. I assumed they weren't watertight enough to last more than a few hours before being gone forever.

With ships of that size I thought they were the ones that were just towed to that place in india and beached. You can see them all on Google satellite view.

Is that what the salvage guy is planning to do with this ship, or is it one day soon going to be visible from a train window, half way up a stack of scrapped hatchbacks?

Try to sink it, and they are going to be real cranky. I shudder at the likely response. Probably sail up the Thames and eat the contents of the Houses of Parliament. Oh, maybe not such a bad idea, after all...

You could make a lot of money hiring out a politician-eating rat army. Especially if they come with their own transport. It's just a pity Madrid is the only European capital on a non-navigable river 🙁

the other papers are saying the ship is "crewed" by the cannibal rats, so maybe they are actively coming here like their eastern european compatriots for the free livin'

the other papers are saying the ship is "crewed" by the cannibal rats, so maybe they are actively coming here like their eastern european compatriots for the free livin'

Surely if it's "crewed" that means they're god-fearing hard-working honest cannibal rats, and therefore welcome?

The fact that the lifeboat emergency beacons HAVEN'T been detected as being activated

Where you getting that one from? The article I read stated they were activated a year ago. Also EPIRBs activate if turned the right way up, so a mutant ninja rat could've knocked it out of the holder when drunk one night

With ships of that size I thought they were the ones that were just towed to that place in india and beached. You can see them all on Google satellite view.

Yep, that was the general sort of plan, it was being towed from Canada to, I think, either Puerto Rico or Peru (I'm sure it was a "P" place) to be broken up but the line(s) broke, and since it was clear of Canada, in international waters and therefore no longer a threat or hazard to them, the Canadian authorities said "f- it" and left it to drift...

Where you getting that one from?

Sorry, as I said I can't remember where I read it, but I definitely read it somewhere, although may have mis-rememberised some of the details. If that's just total cobblers, assume it was the Wailly Fail.

[quote=legend ]

The fact that the lifeboat emergency beacons HAVEN'T been detected as being activated

I have a few marine salvage companies as clients and if it made a profit those guys will be all over finding it. Problem is that the ocean is a big place and it is far easier to find when it is washed up.

One of them told me of a similar story of a deserted ship they recovered that had hit one of the islands in the atlantic/pacific (can't remember which). It had got into difficulty and then broke free from the vessel towing it to safety and went missing for a month or two. They recovered it from where it had run aground and got a massive payout because one of the containers on board was loaded with microchips and worth millions.

Winston, I think you may be in danger if turning into the fun police yourself.

legend - You're right I am. Apologies.I just get peed off when nonsense is spouted in the media about my industry. There is nothing worse than reading how the media simplifies and at the same time hypes up stuff!

The killer rat stuff is fine, all good fun, it's just the way the ship it is self is presented.

As it comes closer to busier areas it will get reported and then somebody will grab it. This may be commercial salvors or it could be something organised by the Coastguards of which country is threatened by it ending up on there beach. TBH in my guess it is worth more than £600k in scrap but any recovery operation is going to cost a fair bit.

End of mini rant.

I have a few marine salvage companies as clients and if it made a profit those guys will be all over finding it. Problem is that the ocean is a big place and it is far easier to find when it is washed up.

This.

luffy105 - Are you a London lawyer by any chance?

luffy105 - Are you a London lawyer by any chance?

lol, Flipping wish I were then I would be able to afford lots of bikes!

Sadly, I am nowhere near that lofty level. We just supply specialist GSM and Satcomms all over the world and I manage our commmercial and leisure maritime sectors

Winston, If you are in that game is your head office in a dutch pepper pot by any chance?

I think it would be a perfect size to set up a free school, what is needed is a gifted, motivational leader who understands education in all its variety. I cant think of one that fits the bill better than...
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