On Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:06:35 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

Sylvia Else wrote:
On 22/12/2015 11:04 AM, M. Stradbury wrote:
Is it true (or an urban myth) that a swimmer would be sucked
under (presumably to drown) when a capital ship sinks?


Mythbusters tried it, and concluded that there was no significant
sucking sown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvU_dkKdZ0U

Sylvia.

So when ship is abandoned, crews jump off the ship, they hang around the
sinking ship, right? They always swim away from the ship as much as
they can. Ask any sailors.

I was a sailor (blue water USCG) and there are lots of reasons to get
away. For one, you really don't want to get caught in the oil slick.
That is plenty of reason, right there.
The oil can be on fire or catch fire.
On a war ship, there might be some ordinance that will go off.
If you are close you might also get snagged in the rigging. That will
drag you down for sure.