I am just going to throw this out there, is there any way there was a software malfunction or possibly the ship being hacked? Jorge's explanation seems to be the case but something just does not smell right.
Steering is still done the old fashioned way. There are quite a few people monitoring on the bridge. Radar Plot, Navigation keeps a constant log of speed, direction and location via GPS and reference points from land, all this monitored by the Officer Of The Deck (underway). There are also strict "night orders" issued by the CO when he is not on the bridge to be notified when a vessel is within X miles, especially if closing. I understand the big ship made an unprecedented and unexpected turn into them, but those DDGs with turbine engines are lightning fast. The issue arises when the Bridge Team hesitates, but I have to tell you, if that ship was THAT close, the CO SHOULD have been on that bridge.
