The Sinking of the SS Poseidon | A Short "Documentary" | Fascinating Horror · Fascinating Horror
讲述1972年SS Poseidon沉船事件的纪录片式短片，适合练习英语听力和理解灾难类故事。
On the 31st of December, 1972, the SS Poseidon was on its way from New York City to Athens.
1972年12月31日，SS Poseidon号轮船正从纽约市驶往雅典。
It was to be the ship’s final voyage, with the ocean liner scheduled to be retired and broken down for scrap after berthing in Greece.
这将是该轮船的最后一次航行；按照计划，这艘远洋客轮在停靠希腊后将被报废并拆解。
However, before the ship could reach its final destination, an undersea earthquake would cause a serious accident that would change the fate of the ship,
然而，在这艘船抵达最终目的地之前，一场海底地震引发了严重的事故，这场事故彻底改变了这艘船的命运。
and of almost every passenger and crewmember on board.
以及几乎所有在船上的乘客和船员。
The SS Poseidon began life in 1937 as the RMS Atlantis, a British ocean liner of around 73 million kilograms (or 81,000 tons).
SS Poseidon”号最初于1937年以“RMS Atlantis”号的名义问世，这艘英国远洋客轮的重量约为7300万公斤（即81000吨）。
With three funnels and four screws, it was often compared to the RMS Queen Mary, which was built around the same time.
由于该船配备了三个漏斗和四个螺旋桨，人们经常将其与大约在同一时期建造的“RMS Queen Mary”号邮轮相提并论。
Both were large British ocean liners intended to compete with French and German superliners in the period between the two world wars.
这两艘船都是英国的大型远洋客轮，旨在在两次世界大战期间与法国和德国的超级客轮展开竞争。
After the Second World War, however, fewer and fewer people were interested in booking travel on an ocean liner.
然而，在第二次世界大战之后，越来越少的人愿意乘坐远洋轮船进行旅行了。
The airline industry was taking off, and as technology developed it was becoming not just quicker, but more economical to fly rather than travel by sea.
航空业正在蓬勃发展；随着技术的进步，乘飞机出行不仅比海上旅行更快，而且更加经济实惠。
Eventually the RMS Atlantis was acquired by
最终，RMS Atlantis 被……收购了。
a cruise line consortium, who changed its
一家邮轮公司联盟（cruise line consortium）对其经营策略进行了调整（changed its）。
name to THE POSEIDON – ADVENTURE that they anticipated would make them up to $125 million at the box office.
这部电影被命名为《波塞冬的冒险》（The Poseidon Adventure），制作方原本预计它会在票房上带来高达1.25亿美元的收益。
Unfortunately, it was quickly determined that there was not enough demand to retain the ageing liner, and it was decided that it should be scrapped.
不幸的是，很快就发现没有足够的需求来继续使用这艘已经老旧的轮船，因此决定将其报废。
Tickets for the ship’s final journey sold reasonably well.
这艘船最后一次航行的门票销售情况还算不错。
Departing just after Christmas, passengers would be sailing through the New Year period, and arriving in Athens at the beginning of 1973.
这趟航班在圣诞节过后不久出发，乘客们将在新年期间航行，最终于1973年初抵达雅典。
While the passengers enjoyed the Poseidon’s final voyage, cruise line officials were keen to complete the journey as quickly as possible.
虽然乘客们正在享受“波塞冬号”最后的航行之旅，但邮轮公司的官员们却希望尽快完成整个行程。
This was the source of some tension between the cruise line and the ship’s crew.
这成为了邮轮公司与船员之间产生矛盾的根源。
For example, Captain Harrison wanted to take on ballast before departure, but was overruled, as loading sufficient ballast would cause a significant delay.
例如，哈里森船长希望在出发前加装压载物，但这一提议被否决了——因为加装足够的压载物会导致航行时间大幅延迟。
This lack of ballast proved to be a problem when the ship encountered inclement weather en route.
由于缺乏足够的稳重性（即“压舱物”），当这艘船在航行途中遇到恶劣天气时，问题就出现了。
At several points during the trip, massive waves caused severe listing, resulting in a rash of seasickness amongst the passengers.
在旅行的过程中，有几次巨大的海浪导致船只严重倾斜，进而引发了乘客们的阵阵晕船症状。
Again, Captain Harrison argued that the ship should stop to take on water ballast, but again he was overruled by company representatives.
哈里森船长再次主张船只应该停下来装载压载水，但他的意见再次被公司代表否决了。
The Poseidon was already behind schedule, and they could not afford to keep the wrecking crew in Athens waiting for any longer than necessary.
波塞冬号”的建造进度已经严重滞后；他们实在无法再让那些负责拆解残骸的工人继续在雅典等待下去了（等待的时间必须控制在必要的范围内）。
Because of this, the Poseidon proceeded without ballast.
正因如此，波塞冬号在航行过程中没有使用压载物。
This left the ship in a precarious position – without ballast it was top-heavy.
这使船只处于非常危险的境地：由于没有压舱物，船只变得极易倾覆。
In normal conditions this would not be a problem, but in severe weather this could lead to dangerous degrees of listing.
在正常情况下，这不会成为一个问题；但在恶劣的天气条件下，车辆可能会发生严重的倾斜（即车身向一侧倾斜）。这种倾斜程度可能会带来安全隐患。
While the passengers were perturbed by the sea sickness inducing roll of the ship, there was no undue concern as New Year’s Eve approached.
虽然乘客们因船只的摇晃而感到晕船不适，但随着新年前夜的临近，大家并没有过于担心。
Passengers and crew gathered in the ship’s grand ballroom to celebrate the advent of 1973 with dinner, drinks and dancing.
乘客和船员们聚集在船上的豪华舞厅里，通过晚餐、饮品和舞蹈来庆祝1973年的到来。
It was at the height of this celebration, however, that disaster struck.
然而，就在这场庆祝活动达到高潮的时候，灾难突然降临了。
A massive undersea earthquake was recorded northwest of Crete, lasting 42 seconds, followed by a single brief aftershock.
在克里特岛西北部海域记录到一次强烈的海底地震，持续时间为42秒，随后发生了一次短暂的余震。
This violent seismic event created a tsunami, which struck the ship just a few seconds after midnight.
这场剧烈的地震引发了海啸，海啸在午夜过后几秒钟就袭击了那艘船。
Captain Harrison received a few minutes warning of the approaching wave, and used this time to close watertight doors,
哈里森船长在巨浪来袭前几分钟收到了预警，他利用这段时间将所有舱门都密封好，确保船内不会进水。
turn the ship hard to the left, dispatch a mayday call, and activate alarms throughout the ship.
立即将船只向左方向大幅度转向，发出求救信号（Mayday），并启动船上的所有警报系统。
Before he could take any further action, though, the wave impacted the ship broadside, instantly killing Captain Harrison and everyone else on the bridge.
然而，还没等他采取进一步行动，海浪就从侧面击中了这艘船，瞬间夺去了哈里森船长以及桥上所有人员的生命。
At this time the vast majority of passengers and crew were gathered in the ballroom.
此时，绝大多数乘客和机组人员都聚集在了舞厅里。
Preoccupied with the New Year’s celebrations, many did not register the alarm until the disaster was imminent.
由于大家都忙于新年的庆祝活动，直到灾难即将发生时，许多人才注意到警报的存在。
As the massive wall of water impacted the ship, it tilted suddenly to one side, causing everything in the ballroom – passengers,
当那股巨大的水浪冲击到船上时，船突然向一侧倾斜，导致舞厅里的所有物品——包括乘客们——都被抛到了空中。
furniture, and even a grand piano – to tumble in a mass to the far end of the room.
所有的家具，甚至那架豪华钢琴，全都一起滚到了房间的另一头。
At the same time a short circuit plunged the ship into darkness.
与此同时，一场短路导致整艘船陷入了黑暗之中。
Over the course of one chaotic minute, the ship continued to roll until it was completely inverted.
在那混乱的一分钟里，船只持续摇晃，最终彻底翻了过来。
As the wave passed on, the Poseidon was left floating upside-down in the water.
海浪过去后，波塞冬号仍然倒扣在水中漂浮着。