8aExxonValdez+question+4



Q4a) How did it happen?

At 12pm march 24th the Exxon Valdez left the Trans Alaska pipeline terminal. Helmsman Harry Claar was steering with William Murphy in control of the wheelhouse and Joe Hazelwood captain of the vessel.

After passing through Valdez narrows, William Murphy had left the vessel. Leaving no one to take care of the wheelhouse. So captain Hazelwood took over the wheelhouse. The Exxon Valdez met with ice-bergs in the shipping lanes, so captain Hazelwood ordered Claar to take them out of the shipping lanes and to go around the ice-bergs. The third mate Gregory cousins took over the wheelhouse with orders to turn back in the shipping lanes when they reached a certain point. Helmsman Robert Kagan replaced Claar for unclear reasons. Cousins and Kagan failed to turn the Exxon Valdez around back into the shipping lanes and it ran into the Bligh reef. This happened at 12.04am march 24 1989. Hazelwood was in his quarters at his time.

b) Who or what caused the disaster? Robert Kagan and Gregory Cousins caused this.

c) Why did it happen? Because Kagan and Cousins failed to turn the ship around.

By B.J Pivac