Nautical Term: Plunging
Definition of Plunging
A ship is considered to be plunging when it undergoes an uncontrolled sinking, either bow first or stern first, as a result of a loss in longitudinal stability.
For instance, during a violent storm at sea, a cargo ship may experience a breach in its hull, leading to a rapid flooding of its compartments. As the ship’s center of gravity shifts dramatically, the ship may lose its longitudinal stability, causing it to plunge, either bow first or stern first, into the depths of the sea.
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