The pilot was Ukrainian. I’m no expert but I can’t fathom why a ship that size with all that momentum would suddenly go off course and strike the only place that would bring the bridge down. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.
That's with the assumption this was a one off. I wonder how many ships go off course for whatever reason but don't have a disastrous result. I'm betting quite a few. Probably don't want to know how many near misses there are.
There are more than any skipper likes. Most would say one is too many.
The guys driving the tug I worked with on the Columbia and Snake (known for being a bit windy and at times the currents were pretty swift) hated the idea of losing power anywhere, but especially within a short distance of a bridge. In a good wind they would even be extra cautious.
One of their favorite sayings was "Boredom is severely underrated"
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
