The world’s second largest sailing ship, Russia’s Krusenstern barque, has rammed two Iceland Coast Guard vessels in the port of Reykjavik, considerably damaging the deck of one of the vessels.
Local tugs were apparently a little over-enthusiastic while pulling the Russian ship on Thursday. The Krusenstern was preparing to head out of Reykjavik’s harbor, which required it to be turned around with the help of local tugs, according to TASS.
The incident involved half of Iceland’s Coast Guard fleet, consisting of the Chilean-built ICGV Þór, the Danish-built ICGV Týr and ICGV Ægir and the Icelandic-built ICGV Baldur.
Some of you may ask, "News for Nerds?" Well, I find the whole thing rather humorous. After decades of technological advances, one tired old sailing ship inflicts some moderately serious damage on a pair of warships - and suffers almost no damage to itself. Need I point out that it's an UNARMED sailing ship?
(Score: 3, Informative) by TWX on Monday June 15 2015, @01:52PM
Iceland is strategic in any cross-Atlantic circumstance involving air coverage or transport; there's not a lot of safe places for large aircraft to land, if they have an emergency, between the Northeastern tip of Canada and Scotland. Iceland is also potentially strategic for resupply of surface warships and submarines without having to spend the time to head back to a North American or European port if that area is where they need to operate.
I wouldn't doubt that Iceland is planned to be well-protected in any event of war in the Atlantic.
IBM had PL/1, with syntax worse than JOSS...
and everywhere the language went, it was a total loss.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 15 2015, @09:34PM
there's not a lot of safe places for large aircraft to land
Greenland is bigger and closer to the center of the pond--but is less developed.
This reminds me of a PBS presentation I saw in 1996.
NOVA - B-29: Frozen in Time [pbs.org]
Spoiler alert
-- gewg_