http://cnews.tribune.com/news/story/0,1162,hamptonroads-nation-46119,00.html

Ferry sinks off Norway; 20 dead November 27, 1999 6:16 PM EST

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- At first, passengers on the night ferry heard a bang and waited for the crew to tell them what was going on. About 45 minutes later, frigid water began gushing on board of the slick catamaran, and panic spread.

Survivors who plunged into the frigid ocean when the high-speed, ultramodern Sleipner sank Friday along Norway's western coast told of terror, chaos and a fight for their lives in an accident that killed 20 people.

Christian Hamre, 28, said a young girl screamed when a panicked old man with no life vest grabbed hold of her for support.

"He held onto us for a long time. Suddenly a girl shouted, "He's pulling me down!"' Hamre was quoted as telling the Oslo newspaper Dagbladet. "We had to tear the man's hands away, and then we lost sight of him."

The cause of the disaster was under investigation.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), November 28, 1999

Answers

Been following the news past 2 weeks, many ferry sinkings in various places, more ship wrecks than usual.

-- lookout (man@the.mast), November 28, 1999.

lookout:

I haven't been following this. What is the normal shipwreck rate? What has been the rate lately? Knowing these, I can subtract to see if the difference is statistically significant.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), November 28, 1999.

LOL Flint!

-- CD (not@here.com), November 28, 1999.

LOL! that's the answer. Lloyds of London should have shipwreck stats. They really are old fashioned, even using a UK search engine, I couldn't find a Home Page for them.

-- Slobby Don (slobbydon@hotmail.com), November 28, 1999.

i am a believer but i wouldn't try to tie these to Y2K. i cannot believe they haven't outlawed THOSE DAMN FERRYS YET!!! i saw the most amazing special on them--the ones that ferry cars and open in the front. like the prince of fundy up in maine, etc.

honest to goodness, if the sea is rough at all, the front of the ferry sort of bangs open somewhat and water seeps in and eventually it fills these lower compartments to a certain level that causes the WHOLE DARN THING TO SIMPLY FLIP OVER IN MINUTES. NO JOKE. IT WAS HORRIFYING. I VOWED RIGHT THEN AND THERE, I WOULD NEVER RIDE ONE.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), November 28, 1999.

Ferry Sinks, cause unknown - It hit a rock!

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), November 28, 1999.

It hit a rock (y2k) and hadn't been tested (remidiated) yet.

HHHMMmmmmmmm

-- squid (Itsdark@down.here), November 29, 1999.