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shakeNtake t1_iy7qw6v wrote

Nigeria to Puertos de las Palmas is a 2700 nm trip. Tankers typically travel at ~15 knots. That’s like a week perched on a tiny moving platform at sea with relentless, cold rudder wash and sea spray. No way to sleep, if you fall off you’re done for… Hectic.

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GMN123 t1_iy7x0gk wrote

I don't imagine it would take much wave action for that platform to be completely underwater at times.

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DisplacedPersons12 t1_iy8hdqf wrote

i imagine quite a few have been left floating in the middle of the ocean. what a traumatic way to go

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NextTrillion t1_iy92xcj wrote

It would suck for a brief few moments of despair.

You may try to stay afloat for as long as you can, and yeah, you’ll probably be panicking and get gassed really quick, depending on the turbulence of the water. But from my brief moments a day or a week out in the Hecate Strait, or the Drake Passage, the water can be relentless during the best of weather.

So I’d wager, you’d stay alive for another 10 minutes, if conditions allow. After that, pure bliss as you drift off to the other side and become fish food.

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Mundane-Ad-3142 t1_iy9t7n6 wrote

Not sure why you're being downvoted. I can't find anything inaccurate in your post.

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NextTrillion t1_iy9xtxx wrote

Probably coz I made the boneheaded move of spelling Strait like Straight. D’oh!

Also, it’s pretty much a fact that in a lot of waters, the temperature is cold enough to shut down your muscles after 10 minutes. You’d be lucky (or unlucky) to stay alive longer than 11 minutes total.

Even if in the highly unlikely event someone noticed you in the water, after the propulsion of the vessel tossed you around like a rag doll, it would still take ages to slow the ship down and send out a rib. So your chance of survival without a PFD is incredibly limited. It’s a super deadly environment that these guys were in.

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EmotionalSuportPenis t1_iy8aemd wrote

Depending on the ship, it can go completely underwater under the weight of a particularly full hold by itself. The slightest following sea will swamp it immediately.

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Cetun t1_iyam5a3 wrote

It would be totally under water if it was a full hold, it clearly traveled empty.

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