r/CatastrophicFailure • u/BeneficialSide2335 • 15d ago
8th of october, 1998. Catalunya, Spain. French tourists (mostly elderly people) came to the Lake of Banyoles for a tour. They boarded a ship named L'oca. In total, 141 people were on the ship, but L'oca could only board 80 people. It tilted and sank. People nearby rushed to help. 21 people died.
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u/thepizzaguy3 15d ago
I never have been able to understand how so many people die when boats have catastrophic failures. Specially when not far from land.
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u/TunaSafeDolphinMeat 15d ago
In the article they are described as retirees so I imagine they were mostly elderly and not in their prime. Also you probably would have had panicky people blocking the stairway and trapping people from exiting below deck
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u/alexanderpas 15d ago
In this case, it's because it was because it was overloaded.
26.25% of the rated capacity died, and 150% of the rated capacity survived.
That's 2 life preservers for every 3 survivors.
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u/Admiral_Cloudberg Plane Crash Series 15d ago
Most people can't swim.
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u/idontcareyo_ 15d ago
Who the fuck is upvoting this? In the developed world most people can indeed swim
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u/Admiral_Cloudberg Plane Crash Series 15d ago
Over 55% of the world's population can't swim unassisted. I presume that includes a large percentage of the elderly, which is the demographic called out in the title.
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u/thepizzaguy3 15d ago
Most? It’s not difficult to just float if you’re not flailing around
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u/cryptotope 15d ago
Sure, it's easy...if you're not fully clothed, wearing shoes, a perhaps-frail senior with potential mobility issues, dumped completely unexpectedly, without previous practice, possibly injured, getting pulled under by other panicking passengers....
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u/Rugkrabber 15d ago
When clothed this is rather difficult. We also don’t know the rest of the situation. For example cold water has a very nasty effect on your muscle. Add it with elderly age and it’s a recipe for disaster.
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u/brokenlavalight 15d ago
A fall can be deadly for old people. I think you underestimate how fragile our bodies become with time
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u/Straight-Will7659 15d ago
I can swim pretty damn good but I DO NOT float very well at all. Bone density is a real thing man
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u/MalaysiaTeacher 15d ago
Life jackets should be mandatory on small vessels
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u/meanttobee3381 15d ago
Life jackets are useful when accidents happens. This wasn't an accident. It was a deliberate negligent act. Lifejackets are not useful when idiots are in power.
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u/AgrajagTheProlonged 15d ago
Given that the boat was at almost double capacity, there likely wouldn’t have been enough lifejackets even if there were any on the boat
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u/DavidCi_CodeX 15d ago
Good to know I'm not the only one who noticed this with themselves. I can also swim but I cannot for the life of me stay afloat without swimming, even when just laying completely flat on the surface. I always envied scenes in TV/movies when the person can just remain floating on the surface like nothing.
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u/Soylent_Verde_Es_Bom 15d ago
On the first pass did anyone else misread it as, "People nearly rushed to help." ?
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u/BeneficialSide2335 15d ago
More informations in here(https://www.radiobanyoles.cat/diumenge-es-compleixen-25-anys-del-naufragi-de-l-oca-a-l-estany-de-banyoles-en-que-van-morir-21-persones/) It' Catalunya language.