“””I suspect that the Wan Hai was the focus on the bridge of the Fitzgerald at the time and that the Crystal went undetected, or was possibly even confused with the Wan Hai, resulting in the collision.”””
>>If I recall correctly the Wan Hai 266 was 2 miles to the starboard of the ACX Crystal and on a parallel course.<<
They were running parallel and about two miles apart on a 70 degree heading, but the Wan Hai was on the port side of the Crystal according to graphs of the traffic.
About ten minutes before the collision, the captain of the Crystal later reported that his watch had detected the Fitzgerald 40 degrees to port of his bow and three nautical miles distant. That’s in the Reuter’s report issued shortly after the accident.
My speculation is that if those numbers are correct, the Fitzgerald would have been situated almost directly on the course of the Wan Hai and around two miles away from the Wan Hai. The new information is that the Fitzgerald was (originally anyway) on a 230 degree course which would have put it headed almost directly toward the Wan Hai. (250 degrees would be a direct course.)
I suspect the OOD of the Fitzgerald, upon realizing how close the Wan Hai was, maneuvered out of its way and (clearly, given the accident) onto the course of the Crystal. If he, and the watch, were focused on the Wan Hai, they might have confused any message regarding another approaching ship (the Crystal) with the one they were in the process of avoiding (the Wan Hai). All speculation of course, but it fits the facts thus far, presuming they’re true.
In addition, given the proximity of the Wan Hai and the Fitzgerald, it’s possible that the OOD was also distracted by the question of whether or not to wake the captain. Maybe someone else with knowledge of procedure can comment on that possibility? I’m no navy guy, nor even a boater.