Uh, oh: Federal Government to seek full cost recovery for Antarctic expedition rescue
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt yesterday said costs, estimated at about $2.4 million, would be sought from the insurer of the operators of the vessel.
The MV Akademik Shokalskiy, chartered by the University of NSW-associated Australasian Antarctic Expedition to retrace the steps of explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, became stuck in thick sea ice on Christmas Eve.
The 52 passengers were rescued by the Aurora Australis on January 2.
Mr Hunt said the Commonwealth would seek compensation for the recovery effort.
“We will be seeking full cost recovery through insurers for the up to $2.4 million costs incurred by the Australian government,” he said.
“We have a duty to protect life at sea and we do that willingly.
“However, what we see here is that there are some questions as to whether or not the ship was detained by the action of those on board within an area the captain had identified as potentially being subject to being frozen in.
“I think we have a duty on behalf of taxpayers to seek full cost recovery.”
Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/federal-government-to-seek-full-cost-recovery-for-antarctic-expedition-rescue/story-fncynjr2-1226809033585
h/t to Lucia at the Blackboard
Related: Battle begins over Antarctic rescue bill
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I’m betting that with this revelation…
About 2.30pm the weather deteriorated. At the same time Captain Kiselev saw slabs of sea ice moving into the open water channel from which the ship had entered the area. He called for everyone to return.
A passenger standing near Professor Turney overheard the voyage leader, Greg Mortimer, telling him over the radio to bring passengers back to the ship so it can leave.
But minutes later, Professor Turney drove six more passengers into the field.
…the insurers will likely say the incident was caused by neglience on the part of Dr. Chris Turney, and toss the claim back in their laps.
UPDATE: Gosh, the hardships these Guardian guys faced is just inspiring. So is the lack of self-awareness.
And finally, @loztopham gets his peanut butter milkshake. At Dubai airport. pic.twitter.com/CJaVVTrp4e
— Alok Jha (@alokjha) January 24, 2014
Neil Jordan says…
In the case I was involved in they insurance company took one looked into the matter and told the guy to go pound sand. A friend had his insurance company settle out of court and then hand him the bill. He is now having to sue the insurance company to get them to pay the claims they settle.
It can get to be a real mess. Boy do I want to be a fly on the wall when all this goes down.
Do you think we can get NSA to bug the offices?
“I’m betting that Turney et al was probably concerned that some of his hangers-on would probably be clamoring for a refund if they didn’t get time on the ice.”
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Good point.
I wonder if the owner was even insured to provide service to the areas visited. It’s entirely possible they were operating beyond the scope of their insurance. And if the captain ceded responsibility of command to expedition leaders the insurance might be voided anyway, leaving the owners naked with responsibility including millions to defend excluding actual damages.
@ur momisugly Richard D says:
January 24, 2014 at 12:18 pm …
So Richard you say it is the responsibility of the Captain to look after his crew and passengers. So When Prof Turkey landed another six ecovangelists on terra firma, should he have left them there and saved the rest of the party when the ice closed in?
What he did, he did because of the stupidity of Prof Turkey. Turkey put the captain in a position where he could not leave anyone behind. If he had headed for open water as the ice closed in (as you suggest) he would have left six ecomartyrs to their doom.
Are you still on the side of the ecotroughers?
At least one positive outcome – its going to be a lot more difficult in future for Turkey or his mates to charter a ship.
papertiger says: January 24, 2014 at 1:00 pm
The captain had the option to leave the dipsticks on the ice, take his boat to safety. If that could be construed as necessary to protect the safety of the majority of passengers and crew, captain screwed up.
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Sure, let’s all go to prison….
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I don’t think they have to worry about the US. After all, Obama cares.
Clay Marley says:
January 24, 2014 at 10:45 am
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How about WUWT shot glasses with little icebergs floating in our favorite libation.
Richard D says: @ur momisugly January 24, 2014 at 12:18 pm
….The owner/captain won’t be let off by saying they ceded responsibility to expedition leaders.
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The captain did not have responsibility for people on land. All he could do was abandoned Turkey and his flock. Since he got within two miles of clear water his decision to wait instead of abandoning the Turkey was a decent one.
Roy UK says: January 24, 2014 at 1:06 pm
Are you still on the side of the ecotroughers?
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Reading comprehension difficult for you?
@ur momisugly Richard D “…and of course the French simply scuttled the Rainbow Warrier…”
well isn’t that a slim smooth description of an attack on a ship tied up in a peaceful port in the middle of the night.and the consequent murder of a photographer on board. They didn’t “simply” open the stopcocks. They blew a bloody great hole in its side.
wazsah says: @ur momisugly January 24, 2014 at 12:25 pm
… Also curious at contradiction between Russian crew who said on return to Bluff that they put out a “pan pan pan” message yet AMSA gets this from Falmouth UK as a “distress” call….
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A distress call make much better news than a “pan pan pan” message. This might have been a publicity ‘moment’ that got out of hand.
Gail Combs said @ur momisugly January 24, 2014 at 1:02 pm
What makes you think NSA would need to be perusaded?
Roy UK said @ur momisugly January 24, 2014 at 1:06 pm
You must admit it must have been tempting 🙂
Gail Combs says: January 24, 2014 at 1:13 pm
The captain did not have responsibility for people on land. All he could do was abandoned Turkey and his flock. Since he got within two miles of clear water his decision to wait instead of abandoning the Turkey was a decent one.
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Really good points. And it was not only a descent decision but the only decision possible unless you’re cut from the same cloth as the Master of the Costa Concordia.
My contention is the owner/captain never should have allowed the ship, crew and passengers to be there to begin with. Apparently professional expeditions use actual icebreakers in waters like that and adventure tour operators with ice hardened boats stay clear – see climate audit. The captain made a really bad call in cutting things close with no margin for error (the Turney factor). I bet the owner’s insurance won’t pay as they were likely operating outside policy scope.
I’m more than glad to heap ridicule on Turney, the expedition, its aims, assumptions and members/passengers (Guardian and BBC)…….. but the owner took the money and the ship ventured where it shouldn’t have with “expedition scientists” unequal to the excursion.
It might be the drink talking but… shouldn’t this be a Friday Funny?
Clay Marley says:
January 24, 2014 at 10:45 am
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“How about WUWT shot glasses with little icebergs floating in our favorite libation.”
Anthony, this is an idea worth expanding on. You can get “permanent” ice cubes that just need to be returned to the ice box to be refrozen. A “Ship of Fools” motif with a small model ship “trapped” in the ice cubes. Should have a Yo Ho Ho shot of rum as one of the ingredients.
“…and the consequent murder of a photographer on board.”
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I don’t disagree.
$2,400,000/52 = $46,153.85 ea.
$2,400,000/6 = $400,000 ea.
$2,400,000/1 = $$2,400,000 ea.
M Courtney said @ur momisugly January 24, 2014 at 1:37 pm
Or perhaps a Saturday funny, given that it’s Saturday morning AFAICT. It’s definitely funny… unless you are one of the scientists whose equipment was delivered late.
I’m awaiting lawsuits to start landing from the actual paying passenger/tourists.
Possibility of getting stuck in dangerous sea-ice wasn’t mentioned the brochure.
And of course this will be settled in an Admiralty Court.
And of course the perfesser will be occupied defending himself for a while.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-pan – message.
“I’m awaiting lawsuits to start landing from the actual paying passenger/tourists.”
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Yep.
jbird wrote:
January 24, 2014 at 11:46 am
“Political dog and pony show…. The taxpayers will ultimately end up footing the bill for this nonsense in one way or another.”
Indeed.
But since the AGW nonsense is a political dog and pony show for which taxpayers (as in – all of us) will foot a civilisation-threatening bill, then it is only right and proper that it is fought on the same political grounds.
This Australian government response will cost Australian tax dollars, for sure. But one way or another, it’ll make Alarmist propaganda expeditions like this much more expensive (financially and politically).
“We” need to do this kind of thing as often as possible; this is “us” punching back twice as hard.
And having a good laugh in the process.