Marine superintendent describes repairing Ruby Princess after SF crash - EXCLUSIVE

KRISTEN: WITH REPAIRS COMPLETE, THE RUBY PRINCESS LEFT SAN FRANCISCO. >> THE SHIP COULD BE RENAMED LUCKY AFTER THIS INCIDENT. SEVERAL FORTUITOUS COINCIDENCES PREVENTED THE DAMAGE AND TIME IT TOOK FOR REPAIRS FROM BEING MUCH WORSE. >> THERE IT IS. IT IS LEAVING. >> AS A CARNIVAL MIRACLE DIG -- DEPARTED PIER 27, BRIAN WILSON WAS REFLECTING ON THE MIRACLE HIS CREW WAS PART OF IN RECENT DAYS. >> I KNEW I HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE RELYING ON ME TO GET THE JOB DONE IMMEDIATELY, AND I HAD TO RELY ON MY MEN TO GET THE JOB DONE. >> THE RUBY PRINCESS HIT PIER 27, CREATING A WHOLE IN THE SHIP. >> IT DEFINITELY TOOK ME BY SURPRISE. I WAS WORKING A JOB ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BREAK WHEN I GOT A CALL THAT A CRUISE SHIP HAD HIT THE PEER. I KNEW TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE. >> SAYS HE FLEW LOS ANGELES' BEST WELDERS UP. >> IT WAS ABOUT 2 FEET BY 2 FEET, AND IT WAS A GIANT PUNCTURE IN THE SIDE SHELL. MY FIRST REACTION IS I WANT TO KNOW WHERE IS IT IN REFERENCE TO THE WATERLINE. THANKFULLY, IT WAS ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE WATERLINE, AND IT HAPPENED TO BE IN A TANK THAT WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE WATER PUMPED IN AND OUT OF IT. SO THAT WAS SOME GOOD NEWS. >> GOOD NEWS AND MOMENTARY RELIEF. SOON, WILSON REALIZED THE CREW WOULD BE REPAIRING THE SHIP FROM INSIDE A WALK-IN FISH FREEZER. >> EVERYTHING WAS FILLED WITH FISH READY TO LEAVE FOR THIS GIANT CRUISE. >> THE REPAIRS TOOK PLACE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BREAK 25-INCH MANHOLE, A TIGHT SQUEEZE. HE SAYS THE CREW WORKED AROUND-THE-CLOCK TO ISOLATE THE DAMAGE, CREATING A WATERTIGHT BARRIER. >> EVEN IF IT WERE FILLED WITH WATER, THE SHIP WOULD BE COMPLETELY SAFE SAILING TO CANADA AND BACK. >> TO ALLAY PASSENGERS' CONCERNS ABOUT A HOLE IN THE SHIP, THE TEAM FIX A STAINLESS STEEL PIECE OF SHEET METAL OVER THE HOLE. >> THIS ONE WAS THE FIRST FOR ME WHERE IT WAS THIS CLOSE TO THE WATERLINE. I CAN SEE WHY THE COAST GUARD HAD DENIED THE VESSEL SAILING WHILE IT WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING WAS ABLE TO BE COORDINATED SO EFFICIENTLY AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THE RIGHT WELDERS AT THE RIGHT TIME WAS INCREDIBLE. I WAS NOT SURPRISED THAT WE PASSED COAST GUARD INSPECTION THE FIRST TIME. THESE GUYS ARE THE BEST. >> HE ESTIMATES IT COST CLOSE TO $250,000 AND SHARES THIS MESSAGE WITH THE COAST GUARD, THANKING THEM. >> WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXTREME PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. >> I WANT TO DO WHATEVER I CAN TO MAKE THESE GUYS HAPPY. >> HAPPY AND SAFE ON THEIR WAY. FOR WILSON AND OCEAN WIDE REPAIR, IT IS ONTO THE NEXT JOB, WHEREVER THAT MAY BE. JULIAN: WHAT ARE WE HEARING ABOUT THE CAUSE OF THIS CRASH? >> THAT IS, OF COURSE, UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT HE DID SAY THIS IS NOT AN

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 9,486

Keywords: news, abc, abcnews, newsstory, ruby princess cruise ship, ruby princess hole, sf pier 27 crash, marine superintendent, ruby princess update, cruise ship crash san francisco, ruby princess repairs, ruby princess sf, hole on cruise ship, oceanwide repairs, bar pilot

Id: 6YUw8ze4E2U

Length: 3min 24sec (204 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 12 2023