Hed spend his nights working on cards and a lot of times Id have to go get him and tell him to go bed.. David Broussard, Prairieville, Louisiana Ferry pilot Egidio "Gene" Auletta, whose half-empty bottle of whiskey was later found in the pilot house, gunned the ferry's engines into the current. Seventy-eight people perished in the crash, and most of the family members of the victims still reside in St. Charles Parish. The Luling Ferry Disaster from SCPhistory.org on Vimeo. One of them was Charles Chatalain, who was living in River Ridge and used the ferry to get to work at Texaco in Paradis in the morning for 12 years. No fingerprints could be recovered from the bottle, despite the efforts of the FBI laboratory in Washington, DC. Anderson wrote and directed the documentary The Luling Ferry Disaster, which chronicled the horrific event that occurred when the George Prince ferry collided with a tanker in 1976. The last survivor had run back to his vehicle, thinking he would be safer in his truck. St. Charles Parish Councilman Paul J. Hogan, an architect, created the design for the monument. Cheapest Mobile Homes For Sale In Abbotsford, Bc, Timothy Hymel, Reserve, Louisiana The Cuban-American filmmaker has produced documentaries about several forgotten Louisiana tragedies: the 1976 Luling Ferry disaster (the worst ferry disaster in U.S. A maritime disaster is an event which usually involves a ship or ships and can involve military action. The pilot also feared striking a bridge pier construction site just upriver, or running aground or into one of the ships docked at the grain elevator. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 1999 - 2022 St. Charles Herald-Guide, Copyright 1999 - 2023 St. Charles Herald-Guide, Locally designed pajama line raises awareness for pediatric conditions, Krewe of Des Allemands Grand Marshals: Elaine Andry Ayo and Carol LeBlanc Alvarez. Jerry Brown Jr., LaPlace, Louisiana The tugboat MV Alma S. was preparing to help turn one of the ships at the grain elevator. Kenneth Becnel, Destrehan, Louisiana The disaster was all but officially forgotten until 2006, when historian and filmmaker Royd Anderson wrote and directed the documentary The Luling Ferry Disaster for his Master's thesis project in Communication at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The following are locations accepting blood donations to help with the tragic violence at Fort Hood: 1. He just got along with everybody. Barry Moore, Kenner, Louisiana Forty years ago today, 77 people died when the Luling-Destrehan ferry sank after being struck by the Norwegian tanker Frosta as the ferry crossed the Mississippi River. Now at age 89, Songy just wishes he wouldnt have to think about the loss anymore, even on the 40th anniversary of the Luling Ferry Disaster. 1 (t-Automne 2011, pgs. During peak hours, the ferries did not operate on a fixed schedule. The MV George Prince ferry disaster was a nautical disaster that occurred in the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the morning of October 20, 1976 (). By 2009, it was erected at the East Bank Bridge Park in Destrehan and bears the names of those lost in the disaster. An unknown number may have reached the surface but, because of injuries or inability to swim, did not survive. He blew the ship's horn twice, indicating his desire to pass in front of the ferry. M. J. Songy still remembers his son, Richard Mark Songy, for having fun, being very bright and loving life.In the many years since the disaster, the anniversary of his sons death hits a sore spot every year, he said. Only one survivor had a life jacket before going into the water, but had not had time to put it on. The ferry had just left the Destrehan dock and was easing across the river toward Luling when it collided with the tanker and went into history as the worst ferry disaster in the nation. They checked for survivors by tapping on the hull, with no response. After the collision, he managed to escape his sinking vehicle through a window. About 20 people were crowded in a waiting room to avoid the pre-dawn chill. The accident occurred about 120 miles above Head of Passes, the rivers mouth in the Gulf of Mexico, soon after it departed from Destrehan on its way to Luling. A memorial to the accident victims was later placed in Edgard in front of the St. John Parish courthouse. I finally came up, downstream from New Orleans. The pilot was nearly drunk under laws at the time, and it is likely the other crew members were impaired to a degree by alcohol consumption.Egidio Auletta, pilot, Destrehan, Louisiana Allen Fisher, LaPlace, Louisiana, Milton Lachney, Luling, Louisiana Total. Anita Poole Stadler, St. Rose, Louisiana (originally from Olla, Louisiana) Who Sells Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes, Thomas Beasley, Destrehan, Louisiana The George Prince Ferry disaster occurred on a stretch of the Mississippi River between Destrehan and Luling. bosch b22ct80sns01 ice maker not working; luling ferry disaster victims. Featuring Garland Robinette and the late Bill Elder. [12] A bell rang as each name was called; a white balloon rose in memory of each of the deceased, and a blue balloon rose in memory of each of the survivors. In 2006, he wrote and directed his first major documentary, The Luling Ferry Disaster. Photo is dated 10-22-1976. The MV George Prince, a passenger and vehicle ferry operating on the Lower Mississippi River, collided with the Norwegian tanker, SS Frosta. Blair Duhe, Norco, Louisiana The memorial would also serve as a cherished reminder of the lives that were lost that day. The asphalt ramps to the tops of the levees still exist, but have fallen into disrepair. The memorial was unveiled in a solemn ceremony at the East Bank Bridge Park in Destrehan on October 17, 2009, with over 300 people in attendance. The Frosta was 664 feet (202m) in length, 90 feet (27m) in breadth, with a gross weight of 22,850 tons, and powered by a steam turbine engine, rated at 16,800hp (12.5MW). That decision was affirmed by the Coast Guard Commandant and by the National Transportation Safety Board in a decision adopted six days after the 1976 tragedy. 77 people perished; nineteen were St. A memorial to the accident victims was later placed in Edgard in front of the St. John Parish courthouse. Lindsey LeBlanc, Norco, Louisiana Henry Hills Jr., Hammond, Louisiana An autopsy on Auletta found that he had been drinking on the job and was intoxicated at the time of the crash. [5] In addition, it is the deadliest accident involving a single vessel in U.S waters since a fire on board the SSMorro Castle in 1934, which killed 137 people. 8 , 2022. The 1976 MV George Prince ferry disaster in Luling became the topic of his master's thesis project, when the 30th anniversary of the tragedy was quickly approaching. Overnight, the ferry was turned over by the salvage crew. None of the crew of the ship ever saw any survivors in the water. A St. Charles Parish sheriff's deputy, who had been riding aboard the Ollie K. Wilds, used a radio aboard to report the collision to his dispatcher in Hahnville, and requested assistance. Witnesses said the captain of the ship tried to warn the ferry to turn away, but to no avail. I often think of the victims families I was so fortunate to befriend, in particular Kenneth and Iris Songy and Dolores and Tommy Pritchett. 1 Subject Index 2nd Extraordinary Session, 2001 Thirtieth Extraordinary Session Under the Adoption of the Constitution of 1974 Prepared by the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library The disaster was all but officially forgotten until 2006, when historian and filmmaker Royd Anderson wrote and directed the documentary The collision flipped and sank the ferry, killing 77 people aboard. How Do You Open A Bottle Of Bellucci Olive Oil, The A maritime disaster can result in one or more of the following simultaneously; There are countless Justin Horn Memorial & Maia Horn Education Fund. The ferry landings are pontoons connected to a shell road by a small ramp, and are held in place by pilings in the river bottom. Darrel Rodriguez, Ponchatoula, Louisiana [4] Ninety-six passengers and crew were aboard the ferry when it was struck, and seventy-eight died. top mum influencers australia LIVE Songy said it seems like the disaster occurred just a few years ago. But the memory of its time on the river and disaster lives on in filmmaker Royd Andersons documentary that features Kenneth and Iris Songy among the victims family members, as well as survivors. This ferry article is a stub. St. Charles Parish Museum and Historical Association. 7-3-1980. The crew ordered a speed of "half ahead", which gave them a forward momentum of 11.4mph (18.3km/h), stemming a current of 1.1mph (1.8km/h). Dwight Dobson, Hammond, Louisiana 25 Leagle.com. He probably didnt know what was going on, Songy said. The Luling-Destrehan Ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. Joseph Hastings Jr., Kenner, Louisiana For more information or to get copy of the documentary, contact Royd Anderson at [email protected]. The others were the pedestrian Taft-Norco Ferry and the vehicle Edgard-Reserve Ferry . As the ferries touched, passengers bridged the gap with benches from the waiting room, and sixteen survivors, perched on the overturned hull, came across to safety. [1][2] The ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. The screening of the documentary drew an audience of over 90 people. The Luling Ferry Disaster Monument was dedicated Saturday under the Hale Boggs bridge DESTREHAN A memorial has been placed to the victims of a 1976 Louisiana. Larry Hills, Hammond, Louisiana (son of Henry Hills Jr.) It was Oct. 20, 1976 at 6 a.m. when Frosta, a 22,000-ton Norwegian tanker, and the 50-year-old ferry collided head-on, leading to the death of 78 aboard the George Prince. Click the images for caption information. Less than two minutes had elapsed since departing the dock. They were on the vessel at 7:34. It was reported in newspapers at the time that several St. Charles Parish officials said the monument site was changed to Edgard in St. John the Baptist Parish because the old St. Charles Police Jury didnt want to give Becnel an advantage in his race against District Attorney Harry Morel that year. (The laws in Louisiana and every other state have changed since 1976; Auletta would have been defined as legally intoxicated under today's law in all 50 states.) I pull my Mahindra 2615 in my garage bay under my house quite often & each time I have to fold down the ROPS. On the morning of the disaster, it was cold and the passengers had huddled in the passenger room of the ferry. By Janelle Griffith. All Austin Area Seton Medical Centers. The film tackled the subject of the 1976 MV George Prince Ferry incident that resulted in 77 fatalities, making it the worst ferryboat accident in U.S. History. The MV George Prince ferry disaster was a nautical disaster that occurred in the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the morning of October 20, 1976 (). This article about transportation in Louisiana is a stub. Anestasia Wanko, New Orleans, Louisiana At 10:00p.m., the ferry was raised enough to permit dewatering operations, and the river reopened to limited marine traffic. By the 1950s, ferry service had improved with a more modern Luling/Destrehan ferry. LULING This week marked the 44 th anniversary of the tragic Luling-Destrehan Ferry Disaster, remembered as the deadliest ferry disaster in the history of the United States.. Seventy-seven lives were lost in the River Parishes the morning of October 20, 1976 after the MV George Prince ferry was struck by the Norwegian tanker SS Frosta in the Mississippi River. Joseph Michelli, Hammond, Louisiana Ronald Wolfe, deckhand, St. Rose, Louisiana, Mark Abadie, LaPlace, Louisiana The blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.09%, just shy of the legal definition of alcohol intoxication (in 1976) of 0.10%. []. german ferry disaster Hello friends, my name is Christian Horn. The term maritime disaster can refer to both commercial ships and military naval ships. Gene Woolverton, Destrehan, Louisiana. Two others found life jackets floating in the river, which they used for a short time, but neither man had time to properly don the life jackets. The pilot made no attempt to turn the ship, though. The full documentary can be purchased through email ([email protected]) or at New Orleans area Borders and Barnes and Noble. A: The short answer is no. where the victims died of asphyxiation before they could reach the opening. The voyage was uneventful. 1. A long-disputed court case over the cause of the blast was resolved when Congress granted compensation to 1,394 victims. Eastman G. Willie, Ponchatoula, Louisiana, Leroy Acosta, LaPlace, Louisiana Circumstances of the collision prevent the usual application of the "Western Rivers Rules of the Road", which state that a vessel to the starboard has right-of-way (which is why all powered vessels have a red light facing to port, and a green light facing to starboard). He also did not consider a turn to port; since the ship was already favoring that side of the channel, there was little room to turn. Paul Harris, LaPlace, Louisiana She was based in San Diego. Kenneth Songy was driving to work when he heard news of the SS Frosta colliding with the George Prince ferry in Luling, but wasnt concerned because he thought his son had crossed the Mississippi River earlier. I made the film because I wanted to learn more about the disaster, Anderson said. It happened so fast. There was evidence of numerous violations on the part of Egidio Auletta. As they were preparing to offload vehicles, an engineer burst through the door, saying a passenger saw a ship run over the ferry. The film recounts > The only monument to the victims sits 15 miles away near the St. John the > Baptist Parish Courthouse in Edgard. An inspirational, peaceful, listening experience. The LulingDestrehan Ferry was one of three routes then operated by the Louisiana Department of Highways, District 2. All the passengers were taken to hospitals, and stayed there for at least 72 hours. She was equipped with two radar units (although only one was turned on at the time of the accident). Historic Images Part Number: non00134. The film was released on the 30th anniversary of the disaster and His Nissan Altima was found crashed and abandoned in the town of Luling, Texas, on Dec. 14. Sand Springs, OK. This judgment could not erase the profound pain and suffering endured by the families and community. The disaster was all but officially forgotten until 2006, when historian and filmmaker Royd Anderson wrote and directed the documentary The Luling Ferry Disaster for his Master's thesis project in Communication at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. If he made a radical turn to starboard, he would have been in jeopardy of collision with the ship moored at the grain elevator. Rescuers worked valiantly around the clock looking for victims and survivors. On October 20, 1976, the automobile ferry, MV George Prince, was struck by a ship traveling upstream as the ferry attempted to cross from Destrehan, Louisiana, to Luling, Louisiana.