Not only did Moss Hills survive two cruise ship disasters, was only meant to be an entertainer, he went on to become a cruise director and still is a cruise director to this day, what an absolute legend he is.
@@ForeverInDiapers Many people believe that but it is incorrect Moss Hills never worked on the Costa Concordia nor was on it as it sunk he replied to my comment back in 2020 confirming this.
I can't even put it into words what a guy Moss Hills is, so humble and selfless, the fact that his main focus on that call were not of his bravery and ability to save so many people, it was on the people he was unable to save, that really shows what kind of guy he is.
Sounds as if you know this man, I'm thinking he is the kind of person that does not wish to be called a hero eventhough he was. Type in his name in search.
@@randomrazr There were 2 - one guy went missing after going back to his cabin, and the other guy was the one accidentally smacked with the life-raft (tragic irony). As he was already dead on impact, like Moss said, I can't imagine they put his body in the raft. And no they couldn't go back. That ship is sunk deeper than the Titanic.
Gotta respect the guy who experienced the sinking on his birthday and still kept his spirits high and positive. That's a class A level personality right there
As a Marine Engineer, I think I can speak for most us when I say that fire in the engine room is one of our absolute biggest fears. There is so much material that can fuel a raging fire; be it chemicals, fuel oil, lubricating oils, etc. If a fire breaks out, time is your enemy. You do not have long to make a decision. I’m mystified though, that I have not heard of this disaster before. During my education, part of the curriculum were several disasters; Titanic and the SOLAS convention that resulted from the lack of sufficient number of lifeboats; Exxon Valdez and the impact of large oil spills; Scandanavian Star and what hell a fire on board entails; Estonia and loss of stability(NOTE: recent findings have re-opened investigations); and Oceanos, which was mentioned in this video, where the captain was one of the first people to abandon ship. But this is the first I hear of Achille Lauro. The fact that Moss Hills was on board during the losses of both Oceanos and the Achille Lauro, makes me wonder why Achille Lauro was not at least mentioned in one of the lessons. Seems like it could have gone a lot worse, but it didn’t. Excellent video. Very intriguing.
It seems like this ship had numerous issues with fire and incidents. What is it about the design of the ship that made it so troubled? Also, what new information has come out about the Eastland??? I have been captivated by this ship wreck for years.
Maybe it isn't mentioned because the crew behaved excellently and there was minimal loss of life? I would suppose the curriculum focuses on lessons learned, whereas here it kind of ended the best it could given the circumstances, which is great but not very teachable.
elanthys I disagree. As OP shows it seems it would be beneficial to the curriculum to have the class see what an orderly evacuation from a ship should look like. That way its just not just theoretical.
After all of the stories of Captains & crew abandoning the passengers, it’s really nice to see one where they were the last to leave. Really shows how there are some that have a sense of responsibility
Between _Oceania_ and _Costa Concordia,_ it's a nice change of pace to see a captain and his crew doing their jobs. Their NOT flaking out or being greedy saved almost everyone's lives. As was proper, they were THE last off the ship. (not counting the two poor souls onboard who had already died).
Between Oceanos, Concordia, and Sewol (Which in it's own term, a shitshow that so bad that the president was impeached), yeah, this one is a nice change of pace
What a fascinating story, Jake! That Moss Hills has quite the courage. To survive not one but two cruise ship disasters and help save lives at the same time is astonishing. Truly legendary!
I am impressed by the behavior of all involved. I believe the Captain and Crew deserve much praise as well. Even the passengers are to be commended. That competence and calm was infectious and enabled the success of the rescue.
What’s more is that Moss Hills actually still actively cruises on ships today after he has sunk twice and he has never had a problem since and he still actively takes cruises and loves it too.
The fact that Moss Hills saved so many people during multiple sinkings with only the obligations of an entertainer is incredible. Despite that, knowing he likely blames himself for half the deaths on this one is just horrible.
you would think that if you really needed that medicine you would have made sure to have it with you or made sure you got it early on once it became apparent you would possibly be abandoning ship. Still feel bad for both hills and of course the guy who died.
They should have abandoned ship immediately. It’s pure negligence and poor planning that caused this. They never considered the fact that some people might die without some of the belongings in their room and didn’t have a game plan in case a fire happened.
@@JeffreyPiatt That is a fair point, was likely an older person as well so could not have been thinking as clearly as far as making sure they had everything they needed. I have been in a position before where I could have died without some medicines and I always had them on me granted at that point in time I wouldn't have been going on a cruise either to this day I still have meds I need everyday but will not die without them at least within a few months. Still unfortunate though. Its a good reminder to always be prepared for emergencies
Moss Hills is a hero and one of the bravest men I think I've ever heard about, to coordinate rescue on not only the Oceanos but also this Achille Lauro too. The man deserves a medal or five.
And yet how many times do I come across people who don’t know where they are, can’t say what fire zone they’re in or what the nearest escape route is. People seem not to realise it’s their lives on the line!
Actually, because I’m in such an unfamiliar place, when I was on a cruise I always made it my personal mission to know the ship by heart. Any guest area, I knew where it was by day 2.
@@alexcrawford6162 Generally. They get comfortable. Yeah the emergency exit is there, but they think "that'll never happen while i'm here. If it does, it'll be long after i've left." And they only really realize how bad they fucked up when it *does* happen. It's like skipping a "trivial" rule in flying an aircraft or such, because "you've done it plenty of times already and nothing bad happened", until it does.
My parents took us on a cruise out of Sydney on the Achille Lauro in 1971. The intinerary included Rabaul, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne and back to Sydney. it was our first look at the world outside of Australia and I shall never forget some of the amazing site we saw on that voyage. People often say the ship was unlucky, but you have to remember that it also performed thousands of incident free voyages over many decades as well and ours was one of those. And yes, they always played " La Nave Blu" every time we left a port and I can still remember the excellent pasta dishes they served. To this day, if my wife and I make a pasta dish that tastes similar to the ones on the Lauro, I think we are on to a good recipe!
This is my Family I am Jamie Lauro… my aunt Angelina lauro and the ship The Angelina named after her !!! She came over to America with a brief case full of $100 dollar 💵 bills. I knew her she was 5 when I died …she was very wealthy for that time period… if went over to Italy today they would treat my father like a king .. but he doesn’t want to go because they are the biggest mobsters in Italy 🇮🇹 Achilles lauro is a great grand father
I have travelled as a child on the William Rhys and then later the Achille Lauro. On both occasions I remember these sea voyages very well even though I was a very young child. The AL had I believe 3 classes, we travelled first class with mum and dad and my brothers and sisters. Our voyage was from Sydney to Genoa. I believe the year would have been 1969. Many stops along the way and I believe we sailed up the Suez Canal. The voyage did take forever but it was a passenger liner not a cruise ship so anybody boarding knew it was going to be a long haul. I think it took about 7 weeks. When we arrived at Genoa we hired a van and drove to France where we lived for 1 year. The whole thing was epic for its time.
Kudos to the captain of the Achilles Lauro who actually did his job for once. It’s genuinely shocking how many times I watch maritime disaster videos and the crew are being incompetent assholes. This captain’s sadly a rare breed. His first instinct was to get everyone onto the top deck ready to evacuate if needed. He didn’t wait until the fire was too far spread. He did this immediately.
That captain is not a rare breed, he is the standard among ships officers employed in most countries commercial fleets. Most countries, not all. Certain countries delivers a higher number of asswipes than the rest put together. But you only hear about the disasters, particularly those where the ships officers are cowards and unprofessional idiots. There is a reason that kind of disasters are rare events. Namely thousands of professional ships officers quietly doing their jobs without incidents.
Great reportage! As one of the survivors I recognized this story very well. Interesting to hear the view of Moss Hill. We (my wife and my parents) met Moss couple of months later on the MS Symphony, on the same cruise in opposite direction. He wrote as song about his experiences with Oceanis and Achille Lauro. We liked that a lot and asked him regularly to play this again and again. That was probably very annoying. On the spot were the Achille Lauro was sunk, we held a ceremony together with crewmembers who survived also. As passengers, we lost all out personal belongings but we were tremendous lucky that the disaster “only” took 4 (too many) lives. For the crew it was devastating too. Losing your home, your job and all their belongings. Only the key of our cabin I29 was in my pocket and is now displayed on our cabinet.
What a wonderful gift to see you here able to comment! I can’t believe anyone aboard would return to the ocean, but then again I’ve never experienced a cruise.
@@ginger7344 I would imagine that its similar with a car crash. You get back behind the wheel. Beside that. Cruising is one of the safest ways of travel. After 50 cruises I can say it is like backpacking with hotel on your back. Just try;)
Though Moss Hills deserves all the praise and respect that he gets, let's not forget that the Captain and his officers remained with the ship as long as they could to coordinate the evacuation. They did their duty, which isnt always the case. It takes a special kind of person to remain on a burning ship after everyone else has left
When I heard the ship's name I immediately thought of the terrorist attack. Never knew that the ship sunk in this matter. Quite an ordeal. Sad that 4 people had died. But the crew did their job which is more than what can be said of the Concordia which sunk off of Italy or the ferry that sunk off of Korea. And sad coincidence that Moss had to use his experience to save people again, the irony. And will haunt him forever that one passenger died accidentally from having the tube for the inflatable raft thrown on top of him. So much good and so much tragedy. Amazing that Hollywood never made this into a movie.
After hearing of so many cruise ships going down with heavy loss of life due to crews incompetence and sudden disasters, it's so refreshing watching the story of a ship being abandoned where the disaster is pre-emptively acted on, the crew does what they're supposed to, almost everything goes according to the emergency plan and nearly everyone is safe by the end. Very professional.
Can we give a round of applause to Moss and the people on the ship who recorded stuff even though their survival wasn’t guaranteed. Literal legends those ones👌
My parents went on one of the first cruises on Achille Lauro after the terrorist incident and they still tell me the stories said by the crew members and the photos of their cruise and the bullet holes that riddled the ship. I still have the teddy bear that says Achille Lauro that they brought back for me.
@@mariebelladonna437 How would you suggest they fix them without dry docking and overhauling massive parts of the ship? It was probably more cost-effective to leave the little punctures there than to take down sheets of metal and replace them.
@@emilyelizabethbuchanan998 well, true. But the video did say they made a lot of repairs, because the ship had sustained damage due to the hijacking. They couldn't do it then? Or, even if they couldn't fully repair the holes, they couldn't find ways to at least hide them? I just figured they'd at least try to patch them, or cover them somehow, even if only temporarily. I know it would really freak me out to see that, to be reminded of what happened. And I can't be the only one who feels that way.
Sad that this ship has been essentially forgotten. When her name is mentioned it’s probably just the older folks who remember her and say, “Oh, that ship that was hijacked in the 80’s.”
Unless it's something that affects American's directly usually such information is forgotten or focused on a specific event. There are many lost ships who's history is lost except by those who knows or recorded history or have a passion for it. For the most part it varies from country to country.
Gosh. Hearing the grief in his voice really puts the situation in perspective. I'm so glad you got the opportunity to speak with him, it made this video feel very personal
That scene of them singing the ship’s theme and waving “bye bye” with the ship engulfed in flames glowing in the pitch black night behind them is incredible. Celebrating survival.
It's refreshing to watch one of these documentaries about a sinking cruise ship in which the crew acted like badasses and the captain was the last off the ship.
Compared to the last ship Moss was on, considering that the captain and crew actually stayed onboard and coordinated rescue operations is a big plus. Great video as always Jake and glad you brought Mr. Moss Hills in for the episode.
@@BilisNegra Yes, but my point was that those 4 deaths could've been avoided. Getting lost in a corridor, not having some pills and a lifeboat on the wrong wave was all it took to take those 4 people's lives.
Jake, I just wanted to let you know that I've been bored out of my mind overseas until I found your channel, the way you research and look into your topics and the sheer amount of effort put into your videos is truly impressive, I've been binging these videos for the last 2 weeks, extremely happy I have found this channel
Jake, these ship videos are by far some of your best content. I’m a Patreon supporter for a few years now, and every one of these ship videos reminds me why. I love your work, Closed For Storm and Abandoned, but your ship story videos are my absolute favorites. I hope you’ll make these a more frequent series.
As an amateur ocean liner historian, the Willem Ruys had quite the storied history. This vessel captured my attention when I was not even 5 years old. Many know the story of the PLO attack back in 1985, and the 1994 sinking, but have yet to meet many who know the full history. Thank you, Jake for sharing so more can learn the story in full.
It's great to know Moss is still around so he can immortalize his very vivid life stories, though it was quite harrowing to hear the tales you don't hear much about, like that failed search for medicine, i assume most of us expected a heroic tale rather than learning it was too much for anyone and someone sadly passed away.
I was a passenger on the Achille Lauro in 1969 on passage to England from Australia. I was only 11 years old and my father wanted to go back for some reason. Later, back in Australia I heard a little about the history, that is the hijacking and death of that wheelchair bound man RIP I hope. Watching this brings back the smells and sounds that I experienced on board. Even our trip had it’s dramas. There was a balconied lounge and stage and dance floor. It must have risen what would be 3 to 4 stories high. My dad was sitting in this huge lounge at one end of lounge room when the AL slipped sideways into a large trough. Coming through an entrance an elderly woman was with walking sticks and as the boat lurched to the side my dad jumped to catch her from falling. Within seconds a large indoor palm of some type in a larger bowl shaped brass pot fell and landed in the very spot my dad was sitting. If it hadn’t been for that lady going for a tumble my dad would most likely have been seriously injured or killed. The other thing I remember was the sounds that rang out throughout the ship. Every last bottle of booze and cutlery and plate or bowl went crashing to the floor. Ahh, the “Old Tub” as a lot of the passengers called her, what a checkered and incident fill life she had.
Hi James. I too was a passenger on the same boat and time as you were. I was 11 at that time and had my first kiss at the movies on board lol. We came from Holland and we’re going back to Holland from Australia. We stayed in Holland for a few months then came back to Australia. I reside in the Newcastle area on nsw. You? John middlehof
I sailed her in 1988. Was my first cruise ever as a teenager. I explored every inch of her from bow to stern. Loved her as you could access the front deck and stand at the bow.
What a wonderful man Moss Hills is. His respect for humanity is so evident when he speaks with such dismay of the two lost passengers, despite his having saved so many lives not once but twice. God bless you sir!
I live in Vlissingen in the Netherlands where the Willem Ruys was built, almost everyone who lives here knows something about the ship. To this day it's still very famous in our town, a street was named after the ship and a rail steam crane that helped with the construction of the ship's funnels was restored for the museum of the KMS (Koninklijke Maatschappij Schelde, the shipyard that made the ship.) In 1993 the Achille Lauro sailed past Vlissingen and many and so many people came to salute her, the Willem Ruys really meant something for Vlissingen. We were devastated when we heard that she sank. May she rest after all the work she's done over the decades.
I also live in Vlissingen let me explain to people from outside Vlissingen why the ship is so famous. After the Second World War the partly build ship supplied the city with much needed drink water from its desalination equipment and during the city’s liberation in 1944 (when the city had been inundated) it’s lifeboats were used to ferry people and goods around town. This is why the people of Vlissingen think so fondly about the Willem Ruys
That story from moss hills was heartbreaking even though he didn't manage to get the medication for the passenger he did everything in his power to do so what an absolute hero
I kinda wanna know what was the medication. I'm a type 1 diabetic and I could go into ketoacidosis 24 hours without insulin, i'd be in a state of panic knowing i left my insulin at the cabin
Moss is an incredible gentleman and I'm glad he was willing to do an interview for this documentary piece. Incredible bravery by all parties involved, I could never imagine
It's crazy how this ship survived a war, didnt sink when colliding into another ship, survived several fire incidents and was still durable enough to set sail for many years to come until that terrible final incident. This is probably one of the most durable ships to ever been constructed.
If anything it showed the ship always had that bond with death. A durable and lucky ship who always seeme to defy it getting through several incidents and soldiered on until eventually death finally caught up with it. That being said. The ship showed if anything the desire to live and fulfill its purpose. Not many oceans liners if any ever make it to be converted cruise liners or museum ships like the Queen Mary and her younger sister the QE2. Most either sink, were scrapped or left rusting away with no purpose.
May I interest you with Yukikaze? Japanese Destroyer during WW2. She took part in The suicidal Operation Ten-Go and made it out relatively unharmed, went on to survive the war. Become Tan Yang/Dan Yang as reparation for Republic of China, became it's flagship during China Civil War, only to sunk due to the storm.
RMS Olympic. She survived a Impact with a British War Ship, A impacts of a German U-Boat, and collision with a Light ship. Not to mention all the Trans-Atlantic crossings during WW1 that she also survived. It's a real shame she was scrapped.
Every time I watch a Bright Sun Films video, I'm absolutely blown away by the storytelling, the footage, the editing, everything is extremely well done. This video is literally a free to watch documentary, rivalling stuff that has 10x the budget and reach. You've outdone yourself once again Jake.
It really is a nice change to see that there sometimes are events where the crew acts proffessionally and therefore most people are saved. This crew really did a great job.
The films from onboard, right up until the last minutes the last person left the ship, they really made this film. Thank you to whoever took them, and to the creators of this film for tracking them down!
That dude on the raft saying "WHAT a birthday! Look at the new watch! Look at the old ship!" And also the people on another raft singing the unofficial theme song, all with the ship burning in the background, somehow brought a smile to my face lol
Absolutely stunning! Fantastic retelling of Achille Lauro’s very turbulent story Jake, from her launch, all the way up to her sad and unfortunate end. Not to mention the many great details and interesting bits of information that really elevates this video!
I so remember bright sun gaming before it was changed . The voice you have makes it a lot experience like no others on RUclips Jake you’re the best at what you do …. God bless you and your family
That interview gave this that extra “wow” that viewers will love. Did that fellow finally give up on cruise ship entertaining after this? Terrific video. Thanks so much.
Moss Hills, a damned hero in all situations on Oceanos and here. I deeply feel for him for the folks who didn't survive this sinking. Nothing but respect for a man who never focuses on the people he saved or is so selfless he'd risk his life for another passenger to get their medicine. At least this time he was on a sinking ship where the captain and crew didn't just abandon the passengers to the sea. Commendable seamanship there for the crew.
I didn't remember any of the details of this from when I was younger, but this is a tragic and fascinating story. Thank you so much for working as hard as you do to bring these amazing stories of history to us.
I’ve recently discovered you like a few months ago, and you are one of my favorite creator this year, thank for creating great content in a tough year for everyone
This is a great story. Moss Hills is definitely a hero. As far as finding Achille Lauro, I think it's possible to find her, example given, the German Battleship Bismarck, she has been found in 15,000 foot deep water, and the destroyer USS Johnston, in 21,000 foot deep water, but however, given where Achille Lauro sank, and the fact that Somolia is a government less country, it would be a risky mission.
You've evolved into a GREAT channel dude. I love your abandoned videos and it's the reason I subbed, but recently you are just on another level with these interviews, and CGI to really show us what happened.
Moss Hills is a true hero, and so humble and unassuming about what a special guy he is. I look at who society calls a hero, while this guy remains totally unsung says a lot about society's priorities. The crew deserves praise as well. To get so many off, losing only five, speaks to their professionalism and competence. After hearing about the multiple major problems this ship went through, I might believe in curses just a little more.
The stories of those 2 passengers were so terrible. Imagine being one of them, being on a cruise enjoying yourself, then suddenly there’s news of a fire. You think the crew will put it out, if not, another ship will rescue you. But then something terrible happens, and all that hope of escaping this seemingly easy to escape situation is all lost. Everyone else gets to live, but then because of something so trivial like not having your medication or a random lifeboat drifting in the wrong direction, you didn’t get to escape.
Excellent story. I cruised on the Achille Lauro weeks before the hijacking. It was actually during the TWA hijacking which we only found out about in port in Athens. The ship was old but had a lot of character. A sad end to a long and colorful career at sea.
it's honestly disappointing that the wreck will never be found. i had always wondered why the wreck had never been found, but knowing all the factors limiting it's discovery, i'm not surprised that no one has tried to find the ship by now. it's sad to say, but we probably will never see this great ship again. may the few who died during the sinking rest in peace.
I knew about Leon Klinghoffer as it was local and my family knew his family, but I had no idea about the rest! WOW! And Moss Hills! Like everyone else, I would love to learn more of his life. Thanks for this Jake, another fantastic doc!
Congratulations on an outstanding video! Thank you for sharing and preserving so much history. I'm thankful that we have people such as Moss Hill in the world along with the leadership and crew of the Achille Lauro who acted in such an honorable manner. The world is better for having such people in it.
Terrifying situation! Many older people go on cruises, and I KNOW that if my parents were faced with a situation where they had to climb down a ladder, neither of them would make it, and the impact and swim in cold water WOULD kill my Dad and probably my Mum too. Really amazing that so many people survived this situation! Well done to the crew especially Moss Hills for minimising the casualties!
I sailed on the Achille and Oceanos but missed both their sinking. Achille was a classic though, a real ship albeit a slightly tired ship. She was also my first and that was where I first encountered Robin Boltman and Moss Hills, and they were total professionals. I seem to recall hearing somebody saying that if Robin was on a ship it was going to sink, but the reality is that if he and Moss were on board you would survive! Rest in Peace Robin, you have not been forgotten.
My parents travelled on the William Ruis when immigrating from the Netherlands to New Zealand, 1953. They married in 1955, Wellington. My brother was born in 1957. In 1961, they travelled back on the WR for a holiday. Mum was heavily pregnant with me on the return journey, and I was born in 1962. We, as a family travelled again to the Netherlands in 1967 on the Achille Lauro, when I was 5. I remember a lot, and we have various photos. Including Dad being King Neptune on the WR. One of the ships fun events they put on. Where King Neptune is covered in all sorts of sauces and I other yuk stuff and then dumped in the swimming pool. What a life this ship has had, amazing.
Wow That’s a great memory thanks for sharing. In 1966 I was 8 years old when my family boarded the newly refitted Achilles Lauro from Naples. We travelled back to Australia where I was born. At that age it left a lasting impression on me in many ways. I still think of it as a beautiful ship! Sad at its infamous history and sudden demise. I seem to recall even on that maiden I took some child or person falling overboard while in port somewhere. Such a chequered life for magnificent ship.
@ralphvitiello7992 Thank you for your memories....there were many children on board. I remember the children went to dinner first before the adults....it seemed like we were fed mashed potatoes every night. I never liked then again. Hehe. I was sick for 5 of the 6 week trip from NZ to the Netherlands, (not fr the potatoes, lol) and the stewards that looked after our cabin numbers would bring dry plain biscuits for me to eat as I started to feel better. Do you have any more memories, I'd love to hear them.
This story is sad, intense, amazing, and so much more. I can't believe what Moss has gone through and has survived. He is a real hero. Thank you Jake, for covering this story. And allowing Moss to tell his story. A story which is well deserved to be heard. And thank you for helping others remember those who lost their lives on this ship. This was an amazing video!! ❤
A bit of an unexpected spiritual sequel to the Oceanos story, but a surprisingly welcome one nonetheless especially with someone like Moss Hills having experienced both. Never forget.
Jake, every single time I finish a Bright Sun's video, I think "well.. that was his best ever. Can't top that".. and then you do. So impressed with all you've created!
I stumbled on your page and I must say..IM HOOKED! IM 57 And wow...some things took me back and made me cry ..my mom was a KMART FANATIC...your story was so informative ...this is pretty much all I watch on RUclips right now lol...my hubby is from PA and sat down watching the Centralia story ..I told my son about your channel because he loves stuff like this also. Love ❤️ your channel!!
Bless Moss Hills, you can tell that he feels every single life lost on that ship so deeply. What an incredibly brave man; to survive one ship sinking where he basically held the lives of all the passengers in his hands in a desperately terrible situation and got everyone off safely, only be faced with the same situation all over again, this time with the crew actually doing their jobs and helping to get passengers to safety, and to lose four despite all your best efforts, must be something he carries with him very heavily. He went above and beyond, not just once, but twice, under circumstances no person ever wants to face.
@@higueraft571 True and sad. I bet Moss feels horrible about that one guy still, very tragic circumstances. But also, had Moss carried on inside the ship there's a possibility he would've died from smoke inhalation while looking for the medicine. The death toll also could've been higher without Moss to help in rescue efforts. Such a tragic situation all around. R.I.P to the four who died in the sinking and the one man during the terrorist attack.
@@ThisHandleIsRare He COULD have, and he probably already HAD, except the problem is you cant be sure of your surroundings when a good chunk is obstructed, or where things will be seconds or minutes later. Not to mention as well... he WAS on a sinking ship, where every second you waste means life or death, and there's a very resasonable panic rush in that instance too... So while he likely would've looked, saw nothing, tossed it and quickly spotted someone now in the direct path, it's not unlikely he was just hurrying.
I really enjoy these ship videos - especially ships that usually aren't as well known. I hope you will continue to bless us in 2022 with more ship stories! Happy New Year, Jake!
You definitely have one of the best documentary channels on youtube and I'm so glad I'm here for it. This was gripping, informative, and entertaining perfectly balancing the emotions throughout from calm to nervous to terror to sadness to relief. Bravo sir, bravo.
Wow, just wow. I'm simply speechless. I had heard about Moss Hills helping save the passengers on the Oceanos and find out here that he helped save people on the Achille Lauro! If was me, I would never had went back aboard a ship after Oceanos. I salute you Mr. Hill, you're a hero!
Your wonderful documentary made me cry, in a good way. God bless all who rode her, lived within her, and lost her. She might've been just a ship to most, but she was a personality unto herself and undoubtedly saved many lives by staying afloat as long as she did.
Jake, you are 100% pure PRO! I remember the first video I watched - you and another gerntleman were in Canada at what was once a very popular water park. You were smooth back then and I rem ember thinking you had such a great manner of speech and your research was very detailed. You even added "before" photos and a tv commercial from when it opened! I was really impressed. And now, years later, you've built yourself quite a reputation! Your future is bright as the sun, my friend. Well done!
It's my shipyard who made the Willem! We have a model of it in our office ❤. Thanks for making this awesome video. The ship was a symbol of the city as it was very long in our docks. It was used during the war to hide goods and to make clean water. It's launch was an emotional event and we followed all her life to the end.
I remember getting chills seeing the Achille Lauro in Pireaus harbour, as we were sailing to Crete, must have been 1992/3 having followed the story of the highjacking as a kid. I wasnt aware of the subsequent fire. A truly informative video.Moss Hills is a hero. They should make a film about him.
A new cruise ship disaster video is out now! ruclips.net/video/NspiM4TW80A/видео.html
You should do a video about the ship the Kobayashi Maru.
MOSS HILLS IS NOW THE CRUISE DIRECTOR OF THE 9-MONTH CRUISE THAT TOOK OFF IN DECEMBER.
Not only did Moss Hills survive two cruise ship disasters, was only meant to be an entertainer, he went on to become a cruise director and still is a cruise director to this day, what an absolute legend he is.
He never chose the life of a hero. The sea chose it for him. Absolutely the stuff of legend.
Blue ship with white stars matching the Somali flag possible why pirates didn't board it 😂
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
BBC just did a podcast interview with him a few months ago..it's online
@@ForeverInDiapers Many people believe that but it is incorrect Moss Hills never worked on the Costa Concordia nor was on it as it sunk he replied to my comment back in 2020 confirming this.
I can't even put it into words what a guy Moss Hills is, so humble and selfless, the fact that his main focus on that call were not of his bravery and ability to save so many people, it was on the people he was unable to save, that really shows what kind of guy he is.
What a cursed ship.
Sounds as if you know this man, I'm thinking he is the kind of person that does not wish to be called a hero eventhough he was. Type in his name in search.
did they go back for the one corpse left ont he ship?
@@randomrazr There were 2 - one guy went missing after going back to his cabin, and the other guy was the one accidentally smacked with the life-raft (tragic irony). As he was already dead on impact, like Moss said, I can't imagine they put his body in the raft. And no they couldn't go back. That ship is sunk deeper than the Titanic.
Also how unlucky - achille lauro AND oceanos
There needs to be a full documentary on Moss Hill’s entire life and especially his time on cruise ships
The man survived two damn shipwreck, and even saved lives. That man would have a kickass documentary
He’s a badass I’m pretty sure
@@someonenamedtailsdoll7805 Three, actually, he was on Concordia too.
@@Dexter037S4 Really? How on earth didn't he quit cruises?
Imagine the anxiety and nightmares that poor man endures.
Gotta respect the guy who experienced the sinking on his birthday and still kept his spirits high and positive. That's a class A level personality right there
he was probably LOVING the thrill of it.
@@SlumberBear2kyeah the adrenaline rush from something like that must feel like crack after reality sets in
As a Marine Engineer, I think I can speak for most us when I say that fire in the engine room is one of our absolute biggest fears. There is so much material that can fuel a raging fire; be it chemicals, fuel oil, lubricating oils, etc. If a fire breaks out, time is your enemy. You do not have long to make a decision.
I’m mystified though, that I have not heard of this disaster before. During my education, part of the curriculum were several disasters; Titanic and the SOLAS convention that resulted from the lack of sufficient number of lifeboats; Exxon Valdez and the impact of large oil spills; Scandanavian Star and what hell a fire on board entails; Estonia and loss of stability(NOTE: recent findings have re-opened investigations); and Oceanos, which was mentioned in this video, where the captain was one of the first people to abandon ship. But this is the first I hear of Achille Lauro. The fact that Moss Hills was on board during the losses of both Oceanos and the Achille Lauro, makes me wonder why Achille Lauro was not at least mentioned in one of the lessons. Seems like it could have gone a lot worse, but it didn’t.
Excellent video. Very intriguing.
It seems like this ship had numerous issues with fire and incidents. What is it about the design of the ship that made it so troubled?
Also, what new information has come out about the Eastland??? I have been captivated by this ship wreck for years.
What are the recent news about Estonia?
@@agy234 See my response to Wabi-Sabi Vida.
Maybe it isn't mentioned because the crew behaved excellently and there was minimal loss of life? I would suppose the curriculum focuses on lessons learned, whereas here it kind of ended the best it could given the circumstances, which is great but not very teachable.
elanthys I disagree. As OP shows it seems it would be beneficial to the curriculum to have the class see what an orderly evacuation from a ship should look like. That way its just not just theoretical.
After all of the stories of Captains & crew abandoning the passengers, it’s really nice to see one where they were the last to leave. Really shows how there are some that have a sense of responsibility
Between _Oceania_ and _Costa Concordia,_ it's a nice change of pace to see a captain and his crew doing their jobs. Their NOT flaking out or being greedy saved almost everyone's lives. As was proper, they were THE last off the ship. (not counting the two poor souls onboard who had already died).
@@Soufriere84 *MTS Oceanos
@@Soufriere84 yes agreed 100%
The Andrea Doria was another example of the captain and crew behaving responsibly.
Between Oceanos, Concordia, and Sewol (Which in it's own term, a shitshow that so bad that the president was impeached), yeah, this one is a nice change of pace
What a fascinating story, Jake! That Moss Hills has quite the courage. To survive not one but two cruise ship disasters and help save lives at the same time is astonishing. Truly legendary!
@Luis Angel Santos And on the Costa Concordia??
Moss 'the jinx' Hills
@@MovieFan1912 booooooooo
He killed someone too
I am impressed by the behavior of all involved. I believe the Captain and Crew deserve much praise as well. Even the passengers are to be commended. That competence and calm was infectious and enabled the success of the rescue.
What’s more is that Moss Hills actually still actively cruises on ships today after he has sunk twice and he has never had a problem since and he still actively takes cruises and loves it too.
Well, the chance of him being on another sinking ship must be astronomical… 😄
Yea he actually became a cruise director!
@@5roundsrapid263 perhaps, but it’s worth it to him
He's the most humble hero. He's very brave and I'm glad so many people know who he is and what he did. Heroes need to be celebrated!💜💓
If those ship lines were smart they’d pay him just to be onboard because I’d feel safer just in case something happened.
The fact that Moss Hills saved so many people during multiple sinkings with only the obligations of an entertainer is incredible. Despite that, knowing he likely blames himself for half the deaths on this one is just horrible.
Most lives saved by a guitarist on two or more cruise ship disasters has got to be one of the more obscure world records.
Yet a badass one at that.
One of those "if I had a nickel for every time X happened, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice" moments.
Moss Hills is a true hero, I do commend him for trying to get the poor guy's medicine, I can't imagine how upset he was when the guy passed :c
You can see how upset he looked when mentioning that. :(
you would think that if you really needed that medicine you would have made sure to have it with you or made sure you got it early on once it became apparent you would possibly be abandoning ship. Still feel bad for both hills and of course the guy who died.
He likely didn't get much time to think about what to grab. A lot of the passengers probably thought the fire was minor and the crew could put it out.
They should have abandoned ship immediately. It’s pure negligence and poor planning that caused this. They never considered the fact that some people might die without some of the belongings in their room and didn’t have a game plan in case a fire happened.
@@JeffreyPiatt That is a fair point, was likely an older person as well so could not have been thinking as clearly as far as making sure they had everything they needed. I have been in a position before where I could have died without some medicines and I always had them on me granted at that point in time I wouldn't have been going on a cruise either to this day I still have meds I need everyday but will not die without them at least within a few months. Still unfortunate though. Its a good reminder to always be prepared for emergencies
Moss Hills is a hero and one of the bravest men I think I've ever heard about, to coordinate rescue on not only the Oceanos but also this Achille Lauro too. The man deserves a medal or five.
Couldn’t agree more
If he lives in the US, then forget a simple medal or five. He's earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom right there in my honest opinion. :D
i 100% agree
Still ain’t no way in hell I’d get on a ship he’s on though lol
Moss Hills was probably like "Oh no, not this crap again!"
Imagine how Moss felt when he couldn't reopen that fire door....that's why ship orientation is so important, it saved his life.
Yeah, any regular passenger would have died in that situation.
@@BilisNegra One probably did, remember the fourth fatality...
And yet how many times do I come across people who don’t know where they are, can’t say what fire zone they’re in or what the nearest escape route is. People seem not to realise it’s their lives on the line!
Actually, because I’m in such an unfamiliar place, when I was on a cruise I always made it my personal mission to know the ship by heart. Any guest area, I knew where it was by day 2.
@@alexcrawford6162 Generally. They get comfortable. Yeah the emergency exit is there, but they think "that'll never happen while i'm here. If it does, it'll be long after i've left." And they only really realize how bad they fucked up when it *does* happen. It's like skipping a "trivial" rule in flying an aircraft or such, because "you've done it plenty of times already and nothing bad happened", until it does.
My parents took us on a cruise out of Sydney on the Achille Lauro in 1971. The intinerary included Rabaul, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne and back to Sydney. it was our first look at the world outside of Australia and I shall never forget some of the amazing site we saw on that voyage.
People often say the ship was unlucky, but you have to remember that it also performed thousands of incident free voyages over many decades as well and ours was one of those.
And yes, they always played " La Nave Blu" every time we left a port and I can still remember the excellent pasta dishes they served.
To this day, if my wife and I make a pasta dish that tastes similar to the ones on the Lauro, I think we are on to a good recipe!
Awesome memory, thanks for sharing.
This is my Family I am Jamie Lauro… my aunt Angelina lauro and the ship The Angelina named after her !!! She came over to America with a brief case full of $100 dollar 💵 bills. I knew her she was 5 when I died …she was very wealthy for that time period… if went over to Italy today they would treat my father like a king .. but he doesn’t want to go because they are the biggest mobsters in Italy 🇮🇹 Achilles lauro is a great grand father
I have travelled as a child on the William Rhys and then later the Achille Lauro. On both occasions I remember these sea voyages very well even though I was a very young child. The AL had I believe 3 classes, we travelled first class with mum and dad and my brothers and sisters. Our voyage was from Sydney to Genoa. I believe the year would have been 1969. Many stops along the way and I believe we sailed up the Suez Canal. The voyage did take forever but it was a passenger liner not a cruise ship so anybody boarding knew it was going to be a long haul. I think it took about 7 weeks. When we arrived at Genoa we hired a van and drove to France where we lived for 1 year. The whole thing was epic for its time.
Kudos to the captain of the Achilles Lauro who actually did his job for once. It’s genuinely shocking how many times I watch maritime disaster videos and the crew are being incompetent assholes.
This captain’s sadly a rare breed. His first instinct was to get everyone onto the top deck ready to evacuate if needed. He didn’t wait until the fire was too far spread. He did this immediately.
Agreed.
It happens with civilian ships. Requirements are low and payment is low. So, you got what you pay for.
The fact that the crew is incompetent usually has something to do with an accident becoming a tragedy.
@@heirofaniu yeap. We Italians had the tragedy of the Costa Concordia. That idiot Schettino costed us many lives and a costly cruiser ship. 😑
That captain is not a rare breed, he is the standard among ships officers employed in most countries commercial fleets.
Most countries, not all.
Certain countries delivers a higher number of asswipes than the rest put together.
But you only hear about the disasters, particularly those where the ships officers are cowards and unprofessional idiots.
There is a reason that kind of disasters are rare events.
Namely thousands of professional ships officers quietly doing their jobs without incidents.
Great reportage! As one of the survivors I recognized this story very well. Interesting to hear the view of Moss Hill. We (my wife and my parents) met Moss couple of months later on the MS Symphony, on the same cruise in opposite direction. He wrote as song about his experiences with Oceanis and Achille Lauro. We liked that a lot and asked him regularly to play this again and again. That was probably very annoying. On the spot were the Achille Lauro was sunk, we held a ceremony together with crewmembers who survived also.
As passengers, we lost all out personal belongings but we were tremendous lucky that the disaster “only” took 4 (too many) lives. For the crew it was devastating too. Losing your home, your job and all their belongings. Only the key of our cabin I29 was in my pocket and is now displayed on our cabinet.
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing!
I'm surprised that after both of these incidents, Moss would ever be willing to set foot on another ship.
@@BrightSunFilms Toys R Us closes last 2 US stores, including location at Galleria mall
What a wonderful gift to see you here able to comment! I can’t believe anyone aboard would return to the ocean, but then again I’ve never experienced a cruise.
@@ginger7344 I would imagine that its similar with a car crash. You get back behind the wheel. Beside that. Cruising is one of the safest ways of travel. After 50 cruises I can say it is like backpacking with hotel on your back. Just try;)
Though Moss Hills deserves all the praise and respect that he gets, let's not forget that the Captain and his officers remained with the ship as long as they could to coordinate the evacuation. They did their duty, which isnt always the case. It takes a special kind of person to remain on a burning ship after everyone else has left
Yeah, unlike the other ship that Mr Hills was on. That must have been so weird for him.
Can't believe I have never even heard of this story before. This is exactly what makes your channel so great, Jake. Thank you so much 🙏
That’s what I’m here for :)
@Bright Sun Films And that’s why we love you
When I heard the ship's name I immediately thought of the terrorist attack. Never knew that the ship sunk in this matter. Quite an ordeal. Sad that 4 people had died. But the crew did their job which is more than what can be said of the Concordia which sunk off of Italy or the ferry that sunk off of Korea. And sad coincidence that Moss had to use his experience to save people again, the irony. And will haunt him forever that one passenger died accidentally from having the tube for the inflatable raft thrown on top of him. So much good and so much tragedy. Amazing that Hollywood never made this into a movie.
@@BrightSunFilms the Achille Lauro could be found seeing as the Bismarck was discovered in 1989 at a depth of 4790 metres
@@Da_SpongeGun yay
After hearing of so many cruise ships going down with heavy loss of life due to crews incompetence and sudden disasters, it's so refreshing watching the story of a ship being abandoned where the disaster is pre-emptively acted on, the crew does what they're supposed to, almost everything goes according to the emergency plan and nearly everyone is safe by the end. Very professional.
Yea
Can we give a round of applause to Moss and the people on the ship who recorded stuff even though their survival wasn’t guaranteed. Literal legends those ones👌
My parents went on one of the first cruises on Achille Lauro after the terrorist incident and they still tell me the stories said by the crew members and the photos of their cruise and the bullet holes that riddled the ship. I still have the teddy bear that says Achille Lauro that they brought back for me.
These were still bullet holes when the ship went back into service?? Like, they left them there? Eesh...
@@mariebelladonna437 How would you suggest they fix them without dry docking and overhauling massive parts of the ship? It was probably more cost-effective to leave the little punctures there than to take down sheets of metal and replace them.
@@emilyelizabethbuchanan998 well, true. But the video did say they made a lot of repairs, because the ship had sustained damage due to the hijacking. They couldn't do it then? Or, even if they couldn't fully repair the holes, they couldn't find ways to at least hide them? I just figured they'd at least try to patch them, or cover them somehow, even if only temporarily. I know it would really freak me out to see that, to be reminded of what happened. And I can't be the only one who feels that way.
@@mariebelladonna437 I think honestly most people would think it was cool, since it wasn't the ship's fault or her crew's fault.
@@emilyelizabethbuchanan998 .of course. I'd understand, too. It would still be freaky to see though, lol.
How does Moss Hills not even have a wikipedia page? His story is incredible, I'd love to see a movie about him
That is a good movie idea.
@@danntrev I’d like to see you do better. The raft was an accident.
@@danntrev literally everyone who wasn't off the ship on the time would have died had he not thrown the raft.
@@danntrev how were they intended to get off then if he hadn't?
@@danntrev yea and I'm sure that was intended.
Sad that this ship has been essentially forgotten.
When her name is mentioned it’s probably just the older folks who remember her and say, “Oh, that ship that was hijacked in the 80’s.”
Like the Sultana.
Not that rascally GlamorousTitanic21 again... lol
or when her name is mentioned they mean the famous Italian singer haha
Unless it's something that affects American's directly usually such information is forgotten or focused on a specific event.
There are many lost ships who's history is lost except by those who knows or recorded history or have a passion for it.
For the most part it varies from country to country.
Gosh. Hearing the grief in his voice really puts the situation in perspective. I'm so glad you got the opportunity to speak with him, it made this video feel very personal
That scene of them singing the ship’s theme and waving “bye bye” with the ship engulfed in flames glowing in the pitch black night behind them is incredible. Celebrating survival.
Yeah what an astonishing ship. Not only did they get hijacked by terrorists, survived with 1 death, then sunk with minimal losses on the high seas.
It's refreshing to watch one of these documentaries about a sinking cruise ship in which the crew acted like badasses and the captain was the last off the ship.
i know right, i was genuinely shocked when i heard him say the captain was the last one on the ship
Costa Concordia needs to take notes.
@@texasaim776 indeed
Compared to the last ship Moss was on, considering that the captain and crew actually stayed onboard and coordinated rescue operations is a big plus.
Great video as always Jake and glad you brought Mr. Moss Hills in for the episode.
Luck still didn’t help those 4 who perished.
@@AndyHappyGuy Yes, unfortunately. Yet, it could have been infinitely worse. It was quite a successful operation all things considered.
@@BilisNegra Yes, but my point was that those 4 deaths could've been avoided. Getting lost in a corridor, not having some pills and a lifeboat on the wrong wave was all it took to take those 4 people's lives.
@@AndyHappyGuy I’m not sure are those the crew’s fault though. They couldn’t do much about it.
The ending to this video is absolutely perfect with that rescue footage of people singing the song fading to the actual song that cuts to a tribute
Haha I’m glad you liked it. When I was cutting it together I was so excited on how perfect that all came together
You can tell Moss Hills is still greatly affected by this sinking. Yet, he’s now a cruise director and still goes on ships. What a legend.
Jake, I just wanted to let you know that I've been bored out of my mind overseas until I found your channel, the way you research and look into your topics and the sheer amount of effort put into your videos is truly impressive, I've been binging these videos for the last 2 weeks, extremely happy I have found this channel
Jake, these ship videos are by far some of your best content. I’m a Patreon supporter for a few years now, and every one of these ship videos reminds me why. I love your work, Closed For Storm and Abandoned, but your ship story videos are my absolute favorites. I hope you’ll make these a more frequent series.
Thank you so much!
@@BrightSunFilms the balls of that guy
check out the new watch
check out the old ship
Closed for Storm is brilliant. I’ve watched it a few times now. One of my favourite films.
As an amateur ocean liner historian, the Willem Ruys had quite the storied history. This vessel captured my attention when I was not even 5 years old. Many know the story of the PLO attack back in 1985, and the 1994 sinking, but have yet to meet many who know the full history. Thank you, Jake for sharing so more can learn the story in full.
It's great to know Moss is still around so he can immortalize his very vivid life stories, though it was quite harrowing to hear the tales you don't hear much about, like that failed search for medicine, i assume most of us expected a heroic tale rather than learning it was too much for anyone and someone sadly passed away.
I was a passenger on the Achille Lauro in 1969 on passage to England from Australia. I was only 11 years old and my father wanted to go back for some reason. Later, back in Australia I heard a little about the history, that is the hijacking and death of that wheelchair bound man RIP I hope.
Watching this brings back the smells and sounds that I experienced on board.
Even our trip had it’s dramas. There was a balconied lounge and stage and dance floor. It must have risen what would be 3 to 4 stories high. My dad was sitting in this huge lounge at one end of lounge room when the AL slipped sideways into a large trough. Coming through an entrance an elderly woman was with walking sticks and as the boat lurched to the side my dad jumped to catch her from falling. Within seconds a large indoor palm of some type in a larger bowl shaped brass pot fell and landed in the very spot my dad was sitting. If it hadn’t been for that lady going for a tumble my dad would most likely have been seriously injured or killed.
The other thing I remember was the sounds that rang out throughout the ship. Every last bottle of booze and cutlery and plate or bowl went crashing to the floor.
Ahh, the “Old Tub” as a lot of the passengers called her, what a checkered and incident fill life she had.
Hi James. I too was a passenger on the same boat and time as you were. I was 11 at that time and had my first kiss at the movies on board lol. We came from Holland and we’re going back to Holland from Australia. We stayed in Holland for a few months then came back to Australia. I reside in the Newcastle area on nsw. You? John middlehof
I am Jaime lauro these ships are owned by my blood relatives!!!! It’s cool you went on the boat!!!
I sailed her in 1988. Was my first cruise ever as a teenager. I explored every inch of her from bow to stern. Loved her as you could access the front deck and stand at the bow.
What a wonderful man Moss Hills is. His respect for humanity is so evident when he speaks with such dismay of the two lost passengers, despite his having saved so many lives not once but twice. God bless you sir!
Actually, said dismay/horror would be for the one he killed.
I live in Vlissingen in the Netherlands where the Willem Ruys was built, almost everyone who lives here knows something about the ship. To this day it's still very famous in our town, a street was named after the ship and a rail steam crane that helped with the construction of the ship's funnels was restored for the museum of the KMS (Koninklijke Maatschappij Schelde, the shipyard that made the ship.) In 1993 the Achille Lauro sailed past Vlissingen and many and so many people came to salute her, the Willem Ruys really meant something for Vlissingen. We were devastated when we heard that she sank. May she rest after all the work she's done over the decades.
I also live in Vlissingen let me explain to people from outside Vlissingen why the ship is so famous.
After the Second World War the partly build ship supplied the city with much needed drink water from its desalination equipment and during the city’s liberation in 1944 (when the city had been inundated) it’s lifeboats were used to ferry people and goods around town. This is why the people of Vlissingen think so fondly about the Willem Ruys
Thank you for sharing! How fascinating !!
I'm old enough to remember the hijacking, but had no idea that this doomed ship sank. Thanks Jake, for filling me in with the entire history.
Same here. I remember the hijacking well, but somehow never realized it sank like this.
It's nice to hear a story with a competent captain. Called for an evacuation, prevented people from being in dangerous areas, etc.
That story from moss hills was heartbreaking even though he didn't manage to get the medication for the passenger he did everything in his power to do so what an absolute hero
I kinda wanna know what was the medication. I'm a type 1 diabetic and I could go into ketoacidosis 24 hours without insulin, i'd be in a state of panic knowing i left my insulin at the cabin
Moss is an incredible gentleman and I'm glad he was willing to do an interview for this documentary piece. Incredible bravery by all parties involved, I could never imagine
It's crazy how this ship survived a war, didnt sink when colliding into another ship, survived several fire incidents and was still durable enough to set sail for many years to come until that terrible final incident. This is probably one of the most durable ships to ever been constructed.
If anything it showed the ship always had that bond with death. A durable and lucky ship who always seeme to defy it getting through several incidents and soldiered on until eventually death finally caught up with it. That being said. The ship showed if anything the desire to live and fulfill its purpose. Not many oceans liners if any ever make it to be converted cruise liners or museum ships like the Queen Mary and her younger sister the QE2. Most either sink, were scrapped or left rusting away with no purpose.
We dutch OWN the sea.
May I interest you with Yukikaze? Japanese Destroyer during WW2. She took part in The suicidal Operation Ten-Go and made it out relatively unharmed, went on to survive the war. Become Tan Yang/Dan Yang as reparation for Republic of China, became it's flagship during China Civil War, only to sunk due to the storm.
Or a very lucky unlucky ship.........
RMS Olympic. She survived a Impact with a British War Ship, A impacts of a German U-Boat, and collision with a Light ship. Not to mention all the Trans-Atlantic crossings during WW1 that she also survived. It's a real shame she was scrapped.
Every time I watch a Bright Sun Films video, I'm absolutely blown away by the storytelling, the footage, the editing, everything is extremely well done. This video is literally a free to watch documentary, rivalling stuff that has 10x the budget and reach. You've outdone yourself once again Jake.
It really is a nice change to see that there sometimes are events where the crew acts proffessionally and therefore most people are saved. This crew really did a great job.
The films from onboard, right up until the last minutes the last person left the ship, they really made this film. Thank you to whoever took them, and to the creators of this film for tracking them down!
What an amazing, well done video. Yet also terrifying story. Also hugh credit to whoever kept filming throughout that ordeal.
That footage is all Moss!
The amount of actual footage from the ship is amazing to have that documentation.
The amount of research put into each video is why I keep coming back for more. Seriously one of the best and underrated channels on RUclips.
That dude on the raft saying "WHAT a birthday! Look at the new watch! Look at the old ship!" And also the people on another raft singing the unofficial theme song, all with the ship burning in the background, somehow brought a smile to my face lol
Full respect do the guy who filmed the ship on board
I graduated high school in ‘94. Great storytelling.
The moral to the story: Don’t go on a cruise if Moss Hills is the entertainment…
On the flip side, if you see Moss Hills on your ship, you know you're gonna be fine
according to his linked in, hes now a cruise director for silversea cruises
@@justina1909 True! 😂😂😂
"ah shit, here we go again"
@@justina1909 yes i was very impressed by his rescue efforts
Absolutely stunning! Fantastic retelling of Achille Lauro’s very turbulent story Jake, from her launch, all the way up to her sad and unfortunate end. Not to mention the many great details and interesting bits of information that really elevates this video!
Hey Jesse Ever wonder about wherever Moss Hill goes luck follows him?
Jesse I have a RUclips channel when can I play rolbox with you
Moss hills is a freaking legend, he helped save people and coordinate rescue efforts on the Oceanos and the Achille Lauro, kudos to this guy
What a crappy ship. I bet it was all of those rebuilds that complicated the structure and caused it to burn so badly. The wiring probably sucked.
I so remember bright sun gaming before it was changed . The voice you have makes it a lot experience like no others on RUclips Jake you’re the best at what you do …. God bless you and your family
Your production, narration and research are sky high as usual, but having a first person account of the story is the cherry on top!!
Keep it up!
That interview gave this that extra “wow” that viewers will love. Did that fellow finally give up on cruise ship entertaining after this? Terrific video. Thanks so much.
Its even better, his linkedin page says hes a cruise director.
Moss is actually now a cruise director, still at sea!
@@BrightSunFilms Nobody better for the job.
Moss Hills, a damned hero in all situations on Oceanos and here. I deeply feel for him for the folks who didn't survive this sinking. Nothing but respect for a man who never focuses on the people he saved or is so selfless he'd risk his life for another passenger to get their medicine.
At least this time he was on a sinking ship where the captain and crew didn't just abandon the passengers to the sea. Commendable seamanship there for the crew.
I didn't remember any of the details of this from when I was younger, but this is a tragic and fascinating story. Thank you so much for working as hard as you do to bring these amazing stories of history to us.
Good to hear about a cruise ship disaster where the Captain and crew did a pretty good job and managed to get as many people off as they could safely.
This was so good, thank you so much for covering this one, and thank you for recognizing such an amazing hero!
I’ve recently discovered you like a few months ago, and you are one of my favorite creator this year, thank for creating great content in a tough year for everyone
This is a great story. Moss Hills is definitely a hero. As far as finding Achille Lauro, I think it's possible to find her, example given, the German Battleship Bismarck, she has been found in 15,000 foot deep water, and the destroyer USS Johnston, in 21,000 foot deep water, but however, given where Achille Lauro sank, and the fact that Somolia is a government less country, it would be a risky mission.
Flame throwers would solve that.
@@davidgeorge1294 the moment you stick the nozzle part of the flamethrower into water the entire thing stops working
@@ace74909 Something tells me he's not talking about using it to find the ship...
You've evolved into a GREAT channel dude. I love your abandoned videos and it's the reason I subbed, but recently you are just on another level with these interviews, and CGI to really show us what happened.
I really appreciate that! Thanks :)
Thank you for a touching & moving video, very well presented.
Thank you so much for watching
Thank you for the cruise members that did all they could to help the passengers on board. 🙏
Moss Hills is a true hero, and so humble and unassuming about what a special guy he is. I look at who society calls a hero, while this guy remains totally unsung says a lot about society's priorities.
The crew deserves praise as well. To get so many off, losing only five, speaks to their professionalism and competence.
After hearing about the multiple major problems this ship went through, I might believe in curses just a little more.
Four*
Two from medical causes, one from Moss Hill, another tried to get to his cabin and suffocated
The stories of those 2 passengers were so terrible. Imagine being one of them, being on a cruise enjoying yourself, then suddenly there’s news of a fire. You think the crew will put it out, if not, another ship will rescue you. But then something terrible happens, and all that hope of escaping this seemingly easy to escape situation is all lost. Everyone else gets to live, but then because of something so trivial like not having your medication or a random lifeboat drifting in the wrong direction, you didn’t get to escape.
Excellent story. I cruised on the Achille Lauro weeks before the hijacking. It was actually during the TWA hijacking which we only found out about in port in Athens. The ship was old but had a lot of character. A sad end to a long and colorful career at sea.
please do more Cruise Ship disaster stories. I love to hear about them!
I love this content, I really do a fantastic job and with the added recreation, definite thumbs up from this naval disaster enthusiast
it's honestly disappointing that the wreck will never be found. i had always wondered why the wreck had never been found, but knowing all the factors limiting it's discovery, i'm not surprised that no one has tried to find the ship by now. it's sad to say, but we probably will never see this great ship again. may the few who died during the sinking rest in peace.
A cruise ship sinking where the captain stayed until the end? Inconceivable!
I knew about Leon Klinghoffer as it was local and my family knew his family, but I had no idea about the rest! WOW! And Moss Hills! Like everyone else, I would love to learn more of his life. Thanks for this Jake, another fantastic doc!
My favorite Bright Sun film to date. This deserves more views
Congratulations on an outstanding video! Thank you for sharing and preserving so much history. I'm thankful that we have people such as Moss Hill in the world along with the leadership and crew of the Achille Lauro who acted in such an honorable manner. The world is better for having such people in it.
Terrifying situation! Many older people go on cruises, and I KNOW that if my parents were faced with a situation where they had to climb down a ladder, neither of them would make it, and the impact and swim in cold water WOULD kill my Dad and probably my Mum too. Really amazing that so many people survived this situation! Well done to the crew especially Moss Hills for minimising the casualties!
Great doc! And props to you for getting a first account from Moss Hills!
Thank you Jake for putting this together, and thank you Mr. Hills for sharing your experiences.
I sailed on the Achille and Oceanos but missed both their sinking. Achille was a classic though, a real ship albeit a slightly tired ship. She was also my first and that was where I first encountered Robin Boltman and Moss Hills, and they were total professionals. I seem to recall hearing somebody saying that if Robin was on a ship it was going to sink, but the reality is that if he and Moss were on board you would survive! Rest in Peace Robin, you have not been forgotten.
My parents travelled on the William Ruis when immigrating from the Netherlands to New Zealand, 1953. They married in 1955, Wellington. My brother was born in 1957. In 1961, they travelled back on the WR for a holiday. Mum was heavily pregnant with me on the return journey, and I was born in 1962. We, as a family travelled again to the Netherlands in 1967 on the Achille Lauro, when I was 5. I remember a lot, and we have various photos. Including Dad being King Neptune on the WR. One of the ships fun events they put on. Where King Neptune is covered in all sorts of sauces and I other yuk stuff and then dumped in the swimming pool. What a life this ship has had, amazing.
Wow
That’s a great memory thanks for sharing.
In 1966 I was 8 years old when my family boarded the newly refitted Achilles Lauro from Naples. We travelled back to Australia where I was born. At that age it left a lasting impression on me in many ways. I still think of it as a beautiful ship! Sad at its infamous history and sudden demise. I seem to recall even on that maiden I took some child or person falling overboard while in port somewhere. Such a chequered life for magnificent ship.
@ralphvitiello7992 Thank you for your memories....there were many children on board. I remember the children went to dinner first before the adults....it seemed like we were fed mashed potatoes every night. I never liked then again. Hehe. I was sick for 5 of the 6 week trip from NZ to the Netherlands, (not fr the potatoes, lol) and the stewards that looked after our cabin numbers would bring dry plain biscuits for me to eat as I started to feel better. Do you have any more memories, I'd love to hear them.
This story is sad, intense, amazing, and so much more. I can't believe what Moss has gone through and has survived. He is a real hero. Thank you Jake, for covering this story. And allowing Moss to tell his story. A story which is well deserved to be heard. And thank you for helping others remember those who lost their lives on this ship. This was an amazing video!! ❤
A bit of an unexpected spiritual sequel to the Oceanos story, but a surprisingly welcome one nonetheless especially with someone like Moss Hills having experienced both.
Never forget.
Jake, every single time I finish a Bright Sun's video, I think "well.. that was his best ever. Can't top that".. and then you do. So impressed with all you've created!
I just binge watched all the ship wreck videos Amazing quality!!
I stumbled on your page and I must say..IM HOOKED! IM 57 And wow...some things took me back and made me cry ..my mom was a KMART FANATIC...your story was so informative ...this is pretty much all I watch on RUclips right now lol...my hubby is from PA and sat down watching the Centralia story ..I told my son about your channel because he loves stuff like this also. Love ❤️ your channel!!
Wonderful production quality. You're really outdoing yourself here.
Thanks!
Bless Moss Hills, you can tell that he feels every single life lost on that ship so deeply. What an incredibly brave man; to survive one ship sinking where he basically held the lives of all the passengers in his hands in a desperately terrible situation and got everyone off safely, only be faced with the same situation all over again, this time with the crew actually doing their jobs and helping to get passengers to safety, and to lose four despite all your best efforts, must be something he carries with him very heavily. He went above and beyond, not just once, but twice, under circumstances no person ever wants to face.
To be fair, probably the heaviest is kind of the fact he *caused* one of those four deaths directly. Not intentionally. But definitely directly.
@@higueraft571 True and sad. I bet Moss feels horrible about that one guy still, very tragic circumstances. But also, had Moss carried on inside the ship there's a possibility he would've died from smoke inhalation while looking for the medicine. The death toll also could've been higher without Moss to help in rescue efforts. Such a tragic situation all around. R.I.P to the four who died in the sinking and the one man during the terrorist attack.
@@ThisHandleIsRare He COULD have, and he probably already HAD, except the problem is you cant be sure of your surroundings when a good chunk is obstructed, or where things will be seconds or minutes later.
Not to mention as well... he WAS on a sinking ship, where every second you waste means life or death, and there's a very resasonable panic rush in that instance too... So while he likely would've looked, saw nothing, tossed it and quickly spotted someone now in the direct path, it's not unlikely he was just hurrying.
I really enjoy these ship videos - especially ships that usually aren't as well known. I hope you will continue to bless us in 2022 with more ship stories! Happy New Year, Jake!
One of the better sinking docs I've seen. All the passenger video and Moss's personal story really sell it.
You definitely have one of the best documentary channels on youtube and I'm so glad I'm here for it. This was gripping, informative, and entertaining perfectly balancing the emotions throughout from calm to nervous to terror to sadness to relief. Bravo sir, bravo.
Wow, just wow. I'm simply speechless. I had heard about Moss Hills helping save the passengers on the Oceanos and find out here that he helped save people on the Achille Lauro! If was me, I would never had went back aboard a ship after Oceanos. I salute you Mr. Hill, you're a hero!
Your wonderful documentary made me cry, in a good way. God bless all who rode her, lived within her, and lost her. She might've been just a ship to most, but she was a personality unto herself and undoubtedly saved many lives by staying afloat as long as she did.
Jake, you are 100% pure PRO! I remember the first video I watched - you and another gerntleman were in Canada at what was once a very popular water park. You were smooth back then and I rem ember thinking you had such a great manner of speech and your research was very detailed. You even added "before" photos and a tv commercial from when it opened! I was really impressed. And now, years later, you've built yourself quite a reputation! Your future is bright as the sun, my friend. Well done!
It's my shipyard who made the Willem! We have a model of it in our office ❤. Thanks for making this awesome video. The ship was a symbol of the city as it was very long in our docks. It was used during the war to hide goods and to make clean water. It's launch was an emotional event and we followed all her life to the end.
I remember seeing the Achille Lauro in port in Genoa, she was beautiful. Great video!
Amazing video Jake!!! Moss Hills was incredibly brave to try to get that passengers medication.
Wishing you all the best for 2022 ✨✨✨
I know! Thank you :)
I remember getting chills seeing the Achille Lauro in Pireaus harbour, as we were sailing to Crete, must have been 1992/3 having followed the story of the highjacking as a kid. I wasnt aware of the subsequent fire. A truly informative video.Moss Hills is a hero. They should make a film about him.
Glad this captain coordinated the rescue and was the last off the ship unlike another captain 🤨
*Vada a bordo, cazzo!*
*breathes in*
...
- Schettinoooooooooooooooooooooo
Get the F back on board!
The most important history and the most effective journalism creates new understanding and interpretations of their subject, well done sir.