Adventurer 2 liveaboard accident (no injuries)

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I was at Sorido Bay shortly after the first wreck. What is never mentioned above is the incredible damage to the reef where the boat dragged across it - a huge barren strip now. It is pretty clear that the boat attempted to anchor where it had no business of being. If someone on the boat had had experience in Raja Ampat they would have known that the chosen location between two islands was subject to tides (of course). It was not the weather, it was a poor decision by the captain to anchor where there wouldn't be sufficient water to keep the boat afloat. And by the salvage operation to pull the boat off the reef rather than waiting for high tide to do so.
 
The GM of AAII, Andy Shorten, is the most straight-up dive industry chap I've ever dealt with.

For sure.

In such a relatively short time I have come across a wide spectrum of people involved with the diving industry in general, and none has been a better host and genuinely nicer person than Andy.

Its pretty unfair, really...
Wish there was something we could do?
 
abernat - exactly where was the boat anchored before the incident? I heard Cape Kri. I was on the following trip aboard the replacement boat Sea Safari III, which later had its own problems. With what I've heard & read so far I tend to agree with your assessment of the situation.
 
I am surprised that they were anchored in a poor location or that the crew was not alert to conditions in time to avoid going onto the reef. Plotter software + GPS today always always includes an anchor watch function. Moreover, the Adventurer and her crew have conducted many seasons of trips to this area. I have been on this boat and thought they were an excellent operation. I am sorry to see them have these problems.

Does anyone have more details as to what happened in the second accident?
 
SSIII - full speed ahead up onto a reef that Captain reportedly didn't know was there. Looting & fire followed. Boat sank. Everyone got off safely, but had a lot less time to do it than AAII group. AAII was deemed unrepairable do to extensive damage. Archipelago will close business as of Dec 20. No word yet on Maluku Dive Resort, although company statement mentioned cruise & resort operations.
 
The first wreck was between Kri and Mansuar. At low tide even the dive skiffs have to be careful which path they take.

Again, I wasn't there at the time of the beaching (reefing?) so what I am reporting is second-hand. I was told that there was wind but not that strong - the captain blamed the beaching on the strong wind. The tugboat did not wait for high tide to drag the boat free, presumably to save the cost of a few extra hours but further damaging the reef. The two folks in charge of the passengers (who stayed at Sorido since Kri was full) were both fired but the captain who put the boat there was not.
 
The two people responsible for the AAII passengers were the cruise directors of the AAII, Erwin and Nora, and they were also the cruise directors on the Sea Safari III.
 
The parent company closes business today (20 Dec), so essentially all employees are fired, including Andy.
 
I am one of the passangers that was on the SSIII when it crashed. Andy was very helpful, we were able to find him due to a SATphone that I was carryin, and Nora and Erwin were just great through all the process. For anybody that would like to know the exact location of the accident... coordinates are 0°19'12.61"S / 130°10'48.23"E

Aaaand it is a fact that we crashed because we were out of the planned route, not because there was a "surprise reef". The depth of water was clearly marked in the map, and the site of the crash is outside the route that was drawn when planning the trip.... so... it was because of a human error (I would say...)


Greetings and good dives to you all!! (if anybody decides to read this post that has been under the dust for more than two years!!)


The parent company closes business today (20 Dec), so essentially all employees are fired, including Andy.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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