MV George Prince Ferry Disaster
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The MV ''George Prince'' ferry disaster was a nautical disaster that occurred in the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
in St. Charles Parish,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, United States, on the morning of . The
Luling–Destrehan Ferry The Luling–Destrehan Ferry was a ferry across the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana, connecting Luling and Destrehan. The ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. The other ...
''George Prince'' was struck by the Norwegian tanker , which was traveling upriver. The collision occurred at mile post 120.8 above
Head of Passes Head of Passes is where the main stem of the Mississippi River branches off into three distinct directions at its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico: Southwest Pass (west), Pass A Loutre (east) and South Pass (centre). They are part of the "Bird's Foot ...
, less than three-quarters of a mile from the construction site of the
Luling Bridge The Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge (also known as the Luling Bridge) is a cable-stayed bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. It is named for the late United States Congressman Hale Boggs. With a total length of , it ...
which would replace the ferry seven years later. The ferry was crossing from
Destrehan Destrehan is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 11,340. It is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Destrehan is par ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
on the East Bank to Luling,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
on the West Bank. Ninety-six passengers and crew were aboard the ferry when it was struck, and seventy-eight perished. This accident is the deadliest ferry disaster in United States history. It is also the deadliest peacetime nautical disaster involving a non-submersible vessel in U.S. waters since the explosion of the SS ''Grandcamp'' in 1947, which killed 581 people. In addition, it is the deadliest accident involving a single vessel in U.S waters since a fire on board the in 1934, which killed 137 people.


Vessels involved


Luling–Destrehan Ferry operations

The
Luling–Destrehan Ferry The Luling–Destrehan Ferry was a ferry across the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana, connecting Luling and Destrehan. The ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. The other ...
was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. The others were the pedestrian
Taft–Norco Ferry The Taft–Norco Ferry was a pedestrian ferry across the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana, connecting Taft and Norco. The ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. The others w ...
and the vehicle
Edgard–Reserve Ferry The Edgard–Reserve Ferry was a ferry across the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana, connecting Edgard and Reserve. The ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. The others were ...
. The ferry operated with two boats, the ''Ollie K. Wilds'' and the ''George Prince''. The ''George Prince'' was the larger of the two, and operated around the clock, while the smaller boat only worked at peak hours. During peak hours, the ferries did not operate on a fixed schedule. The ferry landings are pontoons connected to a shell road by a small ramp, and are held in place by pilings in the river bottom. The ferries made a "figure-8" transit, always running upriver when departing, letting the current carry the boat downriver, then turning upriver to land on the opposite bank. The East Bank ferry landing was situated upriver of two busy
grain elevator A grain elevator or grain terminal is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lowe ...
s, limiting the boats' ability to maneuver and, when ships were present, obscuring the boats'
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
. Visibility was often limited by clouds of grain dust from transfer operations, although no transfer was taking place the morning of the accident.


The motor vessel ''George Prince''

The ''George Prince'' was a
ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...
owned and operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, originally built in 1937 at
Slidell, LA Slidell is a city on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 28,781 at the 2020 census, making it the sixteenth-most populous city in Louisiana. It is part of the New Orlean ...
, and converted for its final use at
Avondale, LA Avondale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 4,582 in 2020. It is part of the New Orleans– Metairie– Kenner metropolitan sta ...
. In 1969, the U.S. Coast Guard ceased inspection and certification of the vessel at the request of the state of
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
. It was a free ferry and was not carrying passengers "for hire", so the Coast Guard complied with the request. The ''George Prince'' was in length and in breadth, with a gross weight of 259 tons, and powered by a
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
. She was equipped with two radar units (although only one was turned on at the time of the accident). Her crew of five consisted of a pilot, an engineer, and three deckhands. The entire crew of the ''George Prince'' had duties while afloat; none of these duties were to serve as lookout. Had there been a designated lookout, there was no way for the lookout to communicate with the pilot except by hand signals.


The SS ''Frosta''


History

The SS ''Frosta'' was a
tanker ship A tanker (or tank ship or tankship) is a ship designed to transport or store liquids or gases in bulk. Major types of tanker ship include the oil tanker (or petroleum tanker), the chemical tanker, cargo ships, and a gas carrier. Tankers also ...
, built in 1961 in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and owned by A/S Ludwig, of
Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...
, Norway. The ''Frosta'' was in length, in breadth, with a gross weight of 22,850 tons, and powered by a
steam turbine A steam turbine or steam turbine engine is a machine or heat engine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work utilising a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Par ...
engine, rated at .


Transatlantic voyage and up the river

The ''Frosta'' departed empty from
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
, the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
on October 4, bound for
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
. The voyage was uneventful. At the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, on the night of October 19, the ''Frosta'' took aboard the first of three pilots to guide her up the river. The pilot at the time of the collision was Nicholas Colombo, a member of the New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association, and the third pilot aboard the ship for the journey upstream. Colombo directed the ship take a speed equivalent to upstream, his preferred speed. The crew ordered a speed of "half ahead", which gave them a forward momentum of , stemming a current of . When the ship was about a mile below the Luling–Destrehan ferry crossing, the pilot saw a ferry cross from the West Bank to the East Bank of the river. This was the MV ''Ollie K. Wilds'', which worked the route along with the ''George Prince''. At this time, the ship was on the west side of the channel, and was passing two ships moored to grain elevators on the East Bank of the river.


The collision


''George Prince''

At about 6:00am on October 20, 1976, the ''George Prince'' was berthed at the East Bank landing, taking on vehicles. Her crew had been on duty all night and was due to get off duty at 7:00. She was facing upriver and took on a full load of vehicles, consisting of 20 cars, eight trucks, six motorcycles, and an unknown number of pedestrians. Of the passengers aboard, there is no accounting of people in vehicles versus pedestrians. About 20 people were crowded in a waiting room to avoid the pre-dawn chill. Once loaded, the ''George Prince'' departed and made a short run upriver before turning to cross the river. She did not give any indication of her departure by radio or horn. When operating in tandem, the ferries operated by sight with each other. The ''George Prince'' proceeded across the river, never changing course nor acknowledging radio traffic. According to the survivors, some of the passengers were aware of the ''Frosta'' as it traveled upriver, and there was a growing anxiety over what appeared to be a collision course, although this anxiety was somewhat tempered by their belief that the ferry would maneuver to avoid the ship, especially since there was no indication of danger from the ''George Prince''. When the ''Frosta'' sounded the danger signal, there was an immediate panic from those who could see the ship, and their flight from danger alerted others. It can never be known whether the passengers on the side opposite the oncoming ship were aware of the danger, as all the survivors were on the side of the impact. When the ferry had nearly finished its voyage across the river, she was struck near the middle of the port side by the bow of the ''Frosta''. The force of the collision drove the stem of the ''Frosta'' into the side, impaling the ''George Prince'' on the port side and pushing her sideways up the river. The starboard side of the ''George Prince'' was quickly submerged, and the vessel capsized almost immediately. After capsizing, the ferry was driven under the ship, where the bottoms of the vessels collided. All the vehicles were thrown off of the deck except for a motorcycle, which was entangled in the railing. One vehicle floated briefly before filling with water and sinking; the rest sank immediately. Less than two minutes had elapsed since departing the dock. The circumstances of a collision in 1974 resembled those of the 1976 tragedy except that, in the earlier accident, there were no fatalities. The accident occurred just before dawn in good visibility; the ferry operator failed to see the upbound vessels, though they were seen by the passengers on the deck; and the ferry operator failed to make good use of his radios to check for river traffic. Following the investigation by the Coast Guard, an administrative law judge suspended the ferry operator’s license for three months. That decision was affirmed by the Coast Guard Commandant and by the National Transportation Safety Board in a decision adopted six days after the 1976 tragedy.


SS ''Frosta''

With the East Bank ferry landing obstructed by ships, the ''Frosta'' could not see any activity at the landing until a quarter-mile away. At the point of collision, though, the river is more than half-a-mile wide. Having spotted the ''Ollie K. Wilds'' crossing, the pilot was aware of the ferry operation. The pilot observed a ferry depart the East Bank landing, heading upriver. He called twice on his hand-held transceiver, waiting ample time between transmissions for a reply, but receiving none. He blew the ship's horn twice, indicating his desire to pass in front of the ferry. While the two-blast signal had no standing or meaning according to the "Western River Rules of the Road", it was commonly understood at the time for the ferry to give way and allow the ship to pass. At the time of the horn signal, the ferry had already turned to port, beginning to cross the river, and was less than a quarter-mile away. The ferry did not respond, and the pilot again called on the radio, and repeated the two-blast signal on the ship's horn. The ferry still did not respond, and proceeded directly into the path of the ''Frosta''. At this point, the pilot began continuous radio calls and horn blasts. He also ordered the ''Frosta'' full astern. The pilot made no attempt to turn the ship, though. He was traveling on the west side of the channel; this gave him no choice but to turn the ship to the starboard, which, had the ferry turned, would have meant that the ship turned toward the ferry. The pilot also feared striking a bridge pier construction site just upriver, or running aground or into one of the ships docked at the grain elevator. The ferry was on a constant bearing, less than away, when it passed out of sight of the ''Frosta''s bridge crew. The crew felt a slight bump as the ship collided with the ferry. The ferry rolled off the bow of the ship to the starboard side, then rolled under, emerging on the ship's port side, from the bank. As the ferry came into view, it was nearly totally capsized. A vehicle was seen floating down the river, with its headlights still on, before filling with water and sinking. The pilot ordered "all stop" on the engines to avoid hazarding any survivors with a churning propeller. The captain of the ship and the pilot both called for assistance from any vessel in the area, and notified the Coast Guard. The ship maneuvered through the construction area and anchored midstream over a mile upriver, carried most of this way by forward momentum. Once anchored, ''Frosta'' launched two of her life boats in a futile attempt to rescue survivors. None of the crew of the ship ever saw any survivors in the water.


Rescue and recovery


Rescue

A total of 18 passengers survived the collision. Passengers who were able to see downstream became aware of the rapidly closing motions of the vessels, and rightly concluded that the collision was imminent. Fourteen of the survivors were thrown clear and surfaced without difficulty. Three others were briefly trapped under the ''George Prince''. The last survivor had run back to his vehicle, thinking he would be safer in his truck. After the collision, he managed to escape his sinking vehicle through a window. Only one survivor had a life jacket before going into the water, but had not had time to put it on. Two others found life jackets floating in the river, which they used for a short time, but neither man had time to properly don the life jackets. Aboard the ''Ollie K. Wilds'', the crew in the pilot house did not see the collision. As they were preparing to offload vehicles, an engineer burst through the door, saying a passenger saw a ship run over the ferry. The captain of the ferry immediately ordered his vessel to cast off, having offloaded just one of his 15 vehicle load. He contacted the pilot of the ''Frosta'', and asked him if the ferry had sunk. "He went in front of me, and I ran him over," was the pilot's reply. A St. Charles Parish sheriff's deputy, who had been riding aboard the ''Ollie K. Wilds'', used a radio aboard to report the collision to his dispatcher in Hahnville, and requested assistance. The ''Ollie K. Wilds'' proceeded across the river cautiously, so as to not run over any survivors. As the ferries touched, passengers bridged the gap with benches from the waiting room, and sixteen survivors, perched on the overturned hull, came across to safety. As the ''Ollie K. Wilds'' was crossing the river, a deck hand and the deputy had launched the small rescue boat. They pulled one survivor from the water. The tugboat MV ''Alma S.'' was preparing to help turn one of the ships at the grain elevator. He heard the ''Frosta''s pilot making the emergency calls, and heard the horn sounding. The crew cast off from the ship and proceeded slowly across the river toward the overturned ferry, with the survivors standing on the hull. from the ''George Prince'', the crew heard a man call for help. The crew threw a life ring to him, and pulled him aboard. All the survivors were taken to the West Bank ferry landing for the expected arrival of aid. All the passengers were taken to hospitals, and stayed there for at least 72 hours.


Recovery

The Coast Guard, immediately notified of the collision from the frantic radio calls, dispatched helicopters to the scene. One helicopter stopped at
Lakefront Airport Lakefront Airport is a public airport five miles (eight kilometers) northeast of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, New Orleans, in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 FAA air ...
to pick up a diving team. The divers were airborne at 7:14, and arrived at 7:25. They were on the vessel at 7:34. They checked for survivors by tapping on the hull, with no response. At 8:33, they reported that there were no signs of life, and that other divers were needed to search inside the hull for bodies. Having heard news media reports of the tragedy, a professional dive team drove themselves to the site and offered assistance. Being commercial divers, they were equipped with air line masks instead of tanks, and were much less restricted in their movements. They were also accustomed to working in the "blackout" conditions of the river. Large amounts of sediment obscure any vision in the river. The dive team recovered nine bodies from the passenger compartment of the ''George Prince''. Two more were recovered from the pilot house. The engine room held five bodies. One was found in a bathroom doorway, and another was found in a storeroom. Fifty-seven bodies, and a portion of another, were found in submerged vehicles, as they were recovered from the river bottom between October 23 and October 27, 1976. One body was found in the river on May 22, 1977.


Salvage and investigation


Salvage

Coordination and responsibility for salvage of the ''George Prince'' and her vehicles was assumed by the state's Director of Administration, Charles Roemer II, father of future
governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Buddy Roemer Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III (October 4, 1943 – May 17, 2021) was an American politician, investor, and banker who served as the 52nd governor of Louisiana from 1988 to 1992, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives fro ...
. That afternoon, a crane barge arrived on scene, and prepared to right and raise the ferry, which by now rested on the river bottom near the West Bank, with the hull barely protruding from the water. Overnight, the ferry was turned over by the salvage crew. The next morning, lifting operations began, and continued late into the night. At 10:00 p.m., the ferry was raised enough to permit dewatering operations, and the river reopened to limited marine traffic. The ferry was towed to the Louisiana Department of Highways yard in
Plaquemine, LA Plaquemine is a city in and the parish seat of Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area. At the 2010 United States census, the population was 7,119; the 2020 census determined its ...
, for further investigation. The damage was deemed irreparable, and the ''George Prince'' never sailed again.


Investigation

Investigators used the weather conditions from Moisant International Airport (now
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
New Orleans International Airport Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is an international airport under Class B airspace in the City of Kenner, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is west of downtown New Or ...
), less than away. Conditions there were recorded as a "clear, crisp, pre-dawn darkness, without fog, haze, or other local environmental impairment to visibility." Winds were from the north-northeast at , with gusts to . The river conditions were measured at the Carrollton Gauge, downriver. Maximum velocity was , with average velocity of , and the river was above
sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
. Once it was raised, Coast Guard officials from the Marine Investigation Office boarded the ferry and examined the pilot house. One of the
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
sets was off, another was on. The radio was turned on, and tuned to channel 13, the same channel used by the river pilot. A
plywood Plywood is a composite material manufactured from thin layers, or "plies", of wood veneer that have been stacked and glued together. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured boards, which include plywood, medium-density fibreboa ...
box was found in the pilot house, containing various logbooks and other documents, along with a half-pint bottle of Seagrams V. O.
whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...
, with about an inch of whiskey remaining. No fingerprints could be recovered from the bottle, despite the efforts of the
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
laboratory in
Washington, DC Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
. The body of the ferry pilot was autopsied by
Orleans Parish Orleans Parish (; ) is a parish of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Since 1870, the parish has been coextensive with the city of New Orleans, and the parish and city are largely governed as a single consolidated city. History On April 10, 180 ...
coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official may also investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...
Dr. Frank Minyard. The blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.09%, just shy of the legal definition of
alcohol intoxication Alcohol intoxication, commonly described in higher doses as drunkenness or inebriation, and known in overdose as alcohol poisoning, is the behavior and physical effects caused by recent consumption of Alcohol (drug), alcohol. The technical ter ...
(in 1976) of 0.10%. (The laws in Louisiana and every other state have changed since 1976; Auletta would have been defined as legally intoxicated under today's law in all 50 states.) No other drugs were present. Minyard's report stated that the pilot, Egidio Auletta, had been drinking and was experiencing a large degree of impairment at the time of his death at the helm.


Conclusions of the investigation


Findings regarding the ferry

From the Coast Guard investigation report: # The ''George Prince'', under the control of Egidio Auletta, departed and turned almost immediately to cross the river, because the current was slow and the volume of automobile traffic made it attractive to cross as quickly as possible. # The departure into stream traffic created a situation where risk of collision could exist, but Auletta did not signal his intent to cross the river by radio or horn. Had he announced his departure with the proper signal, and signaled his intent to cross in front of the ''Frosta'', he would have made a rude but acceptable crossing of the river. # Due to complacency, fatigue, and/or the effects of alcohol, Auletta failed to detect the approaching ship until the final seconds before collision, when she disappeared from the view of the ''Frosta''s pilot, by which time the collision was inevitable. The investigators concluded that he had time to maneuver to lessen the collision by making it a glancing blow, but the forward momentum and downstream current made the collision "beyond human remedy". # The primary cause of the tragedy was the navigation of ''George Prince'' into the channel without due regard to, or awareness of, river traffic and the risk of collision. The investigators stated that they "could not imagine a more vivid example to prove that keeping a proper lookout is the first rule of seamanship". # There was evidence of numerous violations on the part of Egidio Auletta. They are: ## failure to sound a horn upon departing a dock ## failure to keep a proper lookout ## failure to slacken speed, or, if necessary, stop and reverse when approaching another vessel so as to avoid risk of collision ## failure to signal intentions when crossing ## failure to navigate with caution until danger of collision is over ## use of a vessel in a negligent manner so as to endanger life, limb, and property


Findings regarding the pilot

From the Coast Guard investigation report: # ''Frosta''s pilot, Nicholas Colombo, correctly assessed the risk of collision and sought agreement on a safe passage for both vessels. Local custom was for small vessels to give way to large vessels in stream traffic, due to the relative difficulty in maneuvering ships in the channel, but could not absolve him of the legal requirement to yield to traffic approaching from his starboard. According to the investigators, "This casualty is a classic example of the tragic consequences which can result from conflict between established custom and the law when each mandates a different response by the persons involved." # After sighting the ''Ollie K Wilds'' cross, Colombo, the ''Frosta''s pilot made numerous attempts to contact the ferry, and saw the ''George Prince'' turn into his path immediately after departure. As the ferry continued into harm's way, failing to respond to the attempts to make contact, Colombo did not order a reduction in speed or reversal of engine until less than a minute before collision, and the ship finally responded to the "full astern" order with barely 15 seconds before striking the ferry. # Having chosen first to follow custom and then failing to make contact, Colombo should have considered the ''George Prince'' unresponsive and acted quickly and decisively to avert a collision. # Altering course: ##Colombo did not consider any turn to starboard practical. If he made a slight turn to starboard, and the ferry responded according to practice (to yield to the larger vessel), then he would have turned toward the ferry and a collision. If he made a radical turn to starboard, he would have been in jeopardy of collision with the ship moored at the grain elevator. ## He also did not consider a turn to port; since the ship was already favoring that side of the channel, there was little room to turn. ## Therefore, Colombo was forced to continue ahead. # Altering speed: ## Given the bulk of the ship and the time it would take to make an appreciable change in speed, the option to accelerate from the setting of "half ahead" to "full ahead" would have been futile. ## Colombo was obliged to slow ''Frosta''. Given the close quarters, for any reduction in speed to be effective, it would have to be applied quickly. If he had decisively slowed the ''Frosta'' after not receiving a response to his first call, the collision could have been avoided or lessened, and the panel deemed this the prudent response. The panel concluded that Colombo navigated the SS ''Frosta'' in a negligent manner.


Findings regarding the SS ''Frosta''s captain

From the Coast Guard investigation report: # The captain of the ''Frosta'', Kjell Sletten, was supervising his vessel's journey upriver via periodic visits to the pilothouse, observations he made by looking out his cabin window, and by the presence of his Mate, Peder Gasvaer, who was on the bridge. The mate was responsible to call the captain to the bridge in a situation that required his presence, although such situations were not defined. The mate did not notify Sletten until the sounding of the danger signal and the order for "full astern", seconds before the collision. The panel concluded that, although the bridge watch was not deficient, had the mate called for the captain earlier, that the captain may have had a lower threshold for the ferry's actions and might have acted sooner. # A master of the ship can delegate, but does not abdicate, responsibility for safe navigation to the mate. Therefore, as captain, Sletten is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation of the ''Frosta''. # The panel concluded that Sletten allowed the ''Frosta'' to be used in a negligent manner.


Miscellaneous findings

From the Coast Guard investigation report: # The 18 persons who never escaped from the interior of the ''George Prince'' drowned almost immediately as the interior flooded through numerous openings in the hull including doors and windows. There was not sufficient air trapped in the hull to sustain life. # Most of the people who died were trapped under the overturned hull or in their vehicles, and could not find a clear path to the surface. An unknown number may have reached the surface but, because of injuries or inability to swim, did not survive. # There is no evidence of equipment or material failure of either vessel which caused or contributed to the tragedy. # Life saving equipment provided aboard the ''George Prince'' was of little use in this accident. Life jackets are designed to aid in escaping a vessel which is slowly sinking, not the sudden collision and immediate capsizing which occurred, which was beyond the scope of the life-saving equipment available. ## Life jackets floating free in the river did aid two people remain afloat and reaching the safety of the overturned ferry. ## The rescue boat of the ''Ollie K. Wilds'' served its designed purpose; that is, rescue of a few individuals from the river. It could not have coped with a large number of survivors in the water, if, for instance, the overturned ferry did not remain afloat. # The response of the ''Ollie K. Wilds'', commercial towboats, and the local Coast Guard units was commendable. Had the ferry not overturned so rapidly, their immediate response would have been instrumental in saving a number of lives. Unfortunately, the first rescuers were only able to find and rescue two survivors from the river; other survivors made their way onto the overturned hull.


Coast Guard Commandant's remarks

From the Coast Guard investigation report: # Circumstances of the collision prevent the usual application of the "Western Rivers Rules of the Road", which state that a vessel to the starboard has right-of-way (which is why all powered vessels have a red light facing to port, and a green light facing to starboard). ''George Prince'' was expected to do one of three things: head down river to pass behind the ''Frosta'', slow and/or stop midstream and wait for the ''Frosta'' to pass, or proceed directly across to the West Bank. Only two minutes elapsed between the departure of the ferry and the collision. Since there was doubt as to the intention of the ''George Prince'', and there was no response to attempts to determine the ferry's intentions, the duty of the pilot of the ''Frosta'' was to immediately reverse engine and sound the danger signal. # The ''George Prince'' proceeded across the busy waterway apparently oblivious to the imminent danger. Auletta apparently never sighted the ''Frosta'', nor did he hear the radio calls or horn signals. A reasonably alert pilot would have seen the ship coming upriver. Even though a strict application of the "Rules of the Road" gave the ''George Prince'' the right-of-way, this of course does not give the right to proceed into harm's way without taking any evasive maneuvers. # Neither vessel took any early or substantial action to avoid the collision. # Auletta's judgement and reaction were certainly impaired by the 0.09%
blood alcohol content Blood alcohol content (BAC), also called blood alcohol concentration or blood alcohol level, is a measurement of alcohol intoxication used for legal or medical purposes. BAC is expressed as mass of alcohol per volume of blood. In US and many i ...
, although to what degree can not be known, although three areas have been well established as affected by alcohol levels under 0.10%: ## steadiness, orientation, and balance, ## attention, memory, and information processing, ## peripheral vision and visual field # In this circumstance, the ability of the eyes to adjust to darkness, to detect moving targets at low levels of illumination, and mental attentiveness are all affected. The Commandant states,''"It is imperative that the deck watch of any vessel be in complete control of his faculties"'', and the evidence shows that Auletta was not in control of his faculties, as it is inconceivable that such an experienced mariner could either ignore or fail to see the ''Frosta'' unless his faculties were impaired. # The captain of the ''Ollie K Wilds'' stated that the windows of his pilot house were closed, and that he did not hear the ''Frosta''s horn. A previous accident involving the ''George Prince'' followed a similar scenario. On that occasion, the captain of the ferry stated that he did not hear the sounding of vehicle horns or the shouts of passengers. The morning of the accident, the windows were likely closed, and this may have prevented Auletta from hearing the ''Frosta''s horn. Therefore, it is imperative that a lookout be designated and posted outside to listen for and relay signals from other vessels.


Closing of the ferry

With the opening of the Luling–Destrehan Bridge in October 1983—barely a mile upstream from the ferry landings—the ferry ceased operations. At the dedication of the bridge, both
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
David C. Treen and Bishop Stanley Ott remembered those killed in the accident. The
asphalt Asphalt most often refers to: * Bitumen, also known as "liquid asphalt cement" or simply "asphalt", a viscous form of petroleum mainly used as a binder in asphalt concrete * Asphalt concrete, a mixture of bitumen with coarse and fine aggregates, u ...
ramps to the tops of the
levee A levee ( or ), dike (American English), dyke (British English; see American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, spelling differences), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is an elevated ridge, natural ...
s still exist, but have fallen into disrepair.


Documentary and memorial

The disaster was all but officially forgotten until 2006, when historian and filmmaker
Royd Anderson Royd Anderson (born July 22, 1972, New Orleans, Louisiana) is a Cuban-American filmmaker and historian based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He specializes in documentary films pertaining to tragic Louisiana events often overlooked by historians. Car ...
wrote and directed the documentary ''The Luling Ferry Disaster'' for his Master's thesis project in Communication at the
University of Louisiana at Lafayette The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette, University of Louisiana, ULL, or UL) is a Public university, public research university in Lafayette, Louisiana, United States. It has the largest enrollment within the nine-campus Universi ...
. The film was released on the 30th anniversary of the disaster and sparked a movement to bring a memorial for the victims and survivors to
St. Charles Parish, Louisiana St. Charles Parish () is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, its population was 52,549. The parish seat is Hahnville and the most populous community is Luling. The parish was established in 1807, following t ...
. Soon after the movie's release, on November 6, 2006, local government officials voted to have 2 memorials constructed, but the issue lost traction after those elected officials were not re-elected the following year. Anderson raised the issue again to the newly elected parish president and officials, bringing a score of relatives of the victims to a council meeting on January 28, 2009. A memorial committee led by St. Charles Parish Councilman Larry Cochran was formed soon afterwards, composed of family members and friends of the deceased, St. Charles Parish Council members, and concerned citizens, including Anderson. The committee met for several months, voting on where the monument should be placed and what it should look like. St. Charles Parish Councilman Paul J. Hogan, an architect, created the design for the monument. Local suppliers, vendors, companies, and individuals donated the equipment, labor, and materials to build it. The memorial was unveiled in a solemn ceremony at the East Bank Bridge Park in
Destrehan Destrehan is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 11,340. It is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Destrehan is par ...
on October 17, 2009, with over 300 people in attendance. A bell rang as each name was called; a white balloon rose in memory of each of the deceased, and a blue balloon rose in memory of each of the survivors. By the end, 95 balloons were drifting slowly over the Mississippi River near the spot where the accident occurred.


Passengers and crew


Crew of ''George Prince''

From the Coast Guard investigation report: The entire crew of the ferry died. The pilot was nearly drunk under laws at the time, and it is likely the other crew members were impaired to a degree by alcohol consumption.
Egidio Auletta, pilot,
Destrehan Destrehan is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 11,340. It is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Destrehan is par ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

Nelson Eugene Sr., deckhand, St. Rose, Louisiana
Douglas Ford, deckhand, Boutte, Louisiana
Jerry Randle, engineer, New Sarpy, Louisiana
Ronald Wolfe, deckhand, St. Rose, Louisiana


Deceased passengers of the ''George Prince''

From the Coast Guard investigation report:
Mark Abadie,
LaPlace Pierre-Simon, Marquis de Laplace (; ; 23 March 1749 – 5 March 1827) was a French polymath, a scholar whose work has been instrumental in the fields of physics, astronomy, mathematics, engineering, statistics, and philosophy. He summariz ...
, Louisiana
Hurest Anderson, LaPlace, Louisiana
Glen Barreca, Norco, Louisiana
John Basso,
Independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
, Louisiana
Thomas Beasley, Destrehan, Louisiana
Anthony Breaux, LaPlace, Louisiana
Jerry Brown Jr., LaPlace, Louisiana
Martin Campbell, Destrehan, Louisiana
Jim Carter Sr., Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Harry Clement, Tickfaw, Louisiana
Richard Cobb,
Hammond Hammond may refer to: People * Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist * Hammond (surname) * Justice Hammond (disambiguation) Places Antarctica * Hammond Glacier, Antarctica Australia *Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in Sout ...
, Louisiana
Oscar Dermody,
Kenner Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy brand owned by Hasbro. Kenner Products began as a toy company founded in 1946, going on to produce several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures for t ...
, Louisiana
Dwight Dobson, Hammond, Louisiana
Melvin Dright Jr., Kenner, Louisiana
Herman Eugene Jr., Garyville, Louisiana
Lenwood Fenroy, LaPlace, Louisiana
Al Fleming, Garyville, Louisiana
Charles Frank Jr., Metairie, Louisiana
Benny Fuller, Metairie, Louisiana
Jimmy Gast, Destrehan, Louisiana
Ervin Gehegan, Hammond, Louisiana
Otis Gehegan, Hammond, Louisiana
John Goldston Jr.,
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...
, Louisiana
Oscar Green, Ridgeland, Louisiana
(''Possible typo in USCG report: there is no Ridgeland, LA,
however, there is a
Ridgeland, Mississippi Ridgeland is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 24,340 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Jackson metropolitan area. History In 1805, the Choctaw Indian Agency, headed by Silas Dinsmoor, was located ...
'') Ronnie Hall, Destrehan, Louisiana
Joseph Harris, Tallulah, Louisiana
Paul Harris, LaPlace, Louisiana
Willie Harris, Tallulah, Louisiana
Joseph Hastings Jr., Kenner, Louisiana
Henry Hills Jr., Hammond, Louisiana
Larry Hills, Hammond, Louisiana (son of Henry Hills Jr.)
Hollis Hodges,
Cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...
,
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Edgar 'Joe' Holmes, Ponchatoula, Louisiana
James Hughes,
Independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
, Louisiana
Timothy Hymel,
Reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US v ...
, Louisiana
Robert Jones Jr., Metairie, Louisiana
Lindsey LeBlanc, Norco, Louisiana
Mary Lightsey, Destrehan, Louisiana
Lonie Marts, Kenner, Louisiana
Charles McKeithen, Kenner, Louisiana
Joseph Michelli, Hammond, Louisiana
Hubert Minor Jr., Kenner, Louisiana
Roosevelt Mixon, Kenner, Louisiana
Anthony Monistere, Hammond, Louisiana
Barry Moore, Kenner, Louisiana
William Moore, New Sarpy, Louisiana
Robert Newton Sr.,
Van Cleave Nathan Lang Van Cleave (May 8, 1910 – July 3, 1970) was a composer and orchestrator for film, television, and radio. He usually used "Van" as his first name. Biography Born in Bayfield, Wisconsin, he played with big bands, including D ...
,
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

Joseph Nicolosi Sr., Hammond, Louisiana
Terry Norton, Kenner, Louisiana
Benjamin Pape Jr., Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Eddie Plaisance Jr., Metairie, Louisiana
Larry Pontiff, Kenner, Louisiana
Kevin Pritchett, Destrehan, Louisiana
Jeffrey Quarles, Pine Bluff,
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

Darrel Rodriguez, Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Elmore Schexnayder, LaPlace, Louisiana
Ronald Schexnayder, Norco, Louisiana
Adolph Smith Sr., Destrehan, Louisiana
Ivory Smith, Garyville, Louisiana
Arthur Snyder, LaPlace, Louisiana
Richard Songy Sr., Norco, Louisiana
Michael Stewart, Metairie, Louisiana
Anita Poole Stadler, St. Rose, Louisiana (''originally from
Olla, Louisiana Olla is a town in northwest La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States, located in the heart of the Louisiana Central Hill Country. Olla has a federally recognized downtown Historic District and a Louisiana historic marker. The population was 1, ...
''
)
Rafael Tolentino, Destrehan, Louisiana
Anestasia Wanko,
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, Louisiana
Michael Webre, Metairie, Louisiana
Jessie Wheat Jr., Hammond, Louisiana
Johnny Williams Jr., St. Rose, Louisiana
Leon Williams, Kenner, Louisiana
Steven Williamson, Kenner, Louisiana
Eastman G. Willie, Ponchatoula, Louisiana


Survivors of the ''George Prince'' (all passengers)

From the Coast Guard investigation report:
Leroy Acosta, LaPlace, Louisiana
Charles Allen, Destrehan, Louisiana
Kenneth Becnel, Destrehan, Louisiana
Erwin Blue, New Sarpy, Louisiana
Brian Broussard,
Gonzales Gonzales may refer to: Places * Gonzales, California, U.S. * Gonzales, Louisiana, U.S. * Gonzales, Texas, U.S. * Gonzales County, Texas Other uses * Battle of Gonzales, 1835 * Gonzales (horse) (1977 – after 1996), an American-bred Thoroughbr ...
, Louisiana
David Broussard, Prairieville, Louisiana
Charles Chatelain, River Ridge, Louisiana
Blair Duhe, Norco, Louisiana
Allen Fisher, LaPlace, Louisiana
Milton Lachney, Luling, Louisiana
George Lingo, Hammond, Louisiana
Dan McLendon, Destrehan, Louisiana
Charles Maples, Destrehan, Louisiana
Charles Naquin, St. Rose, Louisiana
Barry Neyrey, Metairie, Louisiana
Vincent Pardo, Tickfaw, Louisiana
Richard Respess, River Ridge, Louisiana
Gene Woolverton, Destrehan, Louisiana


SS ''Frosta''

None of the crew of the SS ''Frosta'' were injured or killed in the accident.


See also

* List of shipwrecks in 1976 * PS ''General Slocum'' * ''Sea Wing'' disaster *


References


External links


Cypress Lake News, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Été-Automne 2011, pgs. 10-11), "Anderson's ferry documentary garlanded"

Destrehan, LA Ferry GEORGE PRINCE Struck by Tanker, Oct 1976
GenDisasters.com
Hammond "Daily Star" George Prince Ferry Memorial Ceremony article




* ttp://www.heraldguide.com/printer_friendly.php?id=17715 "St. Charles Herald Guide" 40 years later, disaster aftermath tough for survivors, victim families
"St. Charles Herald Guide", Archbishop Hannan was spiritual leader of Luling Ferry Disaster article


* [http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/i-woke-up-every-night-fighting-the-river-luling-ferry-survivor-tells-his-story/339395065 "WWL-TV" 'I woke up every night fighting the river: Luling Ferry survivor tells his story]
"WWL-TV" 40 years ago today: Luling ferry disaster claimed 78 lives


USCG Report


U.S. Coast Guard Report


Aerial photos of the ferry landings today


West Bank ferry landing
(the inverted Y shape crossing the levee at LA 18 & Paul Maillard Road)
East Bank ferry landing
(the Y-shaped roadway crossing the levee at LA 48/River Road) {{DISPLAYTITLE:MV ''George Prince'' ferry disaster George Prince George Prince George Prince George Prince Transportation in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana 1976 in Louisiana October 1976 in the United States