Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Sinking Tankers
Message-ID: <1990Sep13.012808.17634@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 13 Sep 90 01:28:08 GMT
References: <1990Sep6.154737.26141@cbnews.att.com> <1990Sep10.054155.5709@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 38
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg)


Most, if not all (I'm not up on the appropriate international 
conventions) tankers carry inerting systems.  Commonly, stack gas
is piped into the tank spaces in order to render the atmosphere
incapable of supporting either fire or explosion.  

Consequently, an exploding munition will go off, but is highly
unlikely to start a secondary explosion.  If it pokes a hole in
the tanker and oil leaks out, then a secondary fire may ensue.

That said, seems to me that this thread started by someone asking
how you handle a tanker that doesn't want to stop -- bulling
through a blockade -- WITHOUT spilling the cargo all over the
ocean.  Terry Rooker's SEAL description is apt.  We've done
such things in the Coast Guard too, although under slightly
different circumstances.  
     The best known is case of a mutiny on a tanker bound for
Philadelphia.  Denied entry, anchored off Cape May.  Officers
locked in spaces (with radio officer able to discreetly use
his gear).  CG WMEC lingered in area until mutineers got used to
it being around.  Then moored alongside.  After carefully
counting noses and getting several folks aboard for parley,
a joint CG/FBI assault party siezed control.  
     Rules of engagement were to use nightsticks although shotguns
with solid slugs (won't penetrate tank skins) and a few other backup
weapons of similar nature were in reserve.  Mutineers were not
exactly a disciplined resistance so they came down pretty quick.
     This case is 7-8 years old now, but the whole mess was
videotaped by the lookout of the watch on the cutter.  Interesting
to watch.  No shots, no injuries.  With a couple of interesting legal
twists -- foreign flag tanker (Liberian, I believe), international
waters; law enforcement action, not act of war.

Rex Buddenberg