# Spies die in mysterious boat accident **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2023, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951 "2023-06-03T09:30:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/21 "2023-06-04T04:26:09Z")
I mean it’s totally plausible that some powerful state actors (or terrorists) would want an Israeli or (to a lesser degree) Italian intelligence agents dead It’s much less plausible those actors would have either the desire or ability to kill them in a way that looks convincingly like a boating accident. I mean what would be the point? t’s not like, say, Iran would be made strategically safer by killing some old dudes on a boat. The only reason would do so was retaliation for the actions of Israeli intelligence against Iran. How does keeping it secret help that aim? And in terms of ability as other posters have pointed out, it’s pretty hard to kill someone by means of a storm. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/22 "2023-06-04T04:52:11Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > And in terms of ability as other posters have pointed out, it’s pretty hard to kill someone by means of a storm. Don’t be so sure… [![](https://i.redd.it/sed5n77s41wa1.png) ](https://i.redd.it/sed5n77s41wa1.png) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/23 "2023-06-04T09:45:35Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > (to a lesser degree) Italian intelligence agents Wow, shade thrown at Italy. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/24 "2023-06-04T10:58:10Z")
Sometimes an accident really is just an accident. Doesn’t make the cast of characters and the reason they were all there together any less interesting. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/25 "2023-06-04T11:23:48Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > (The Spy School is located in an ordinary residential neighbourhood. When Max went to the wrong address one day and announced “the swallows have returned to Capistrano”, an annoyed old housewife replied “you must want the Secret Spy School. That’s next door.”) Which is a rehash of a similar joke from WW2: A German spy is sent to South Wales. His command of the English language is impeccable and he is given a contact called Jones in Swansea and the phrase; “The tide is out in Swansea Bay” to identify himself. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know the house number, but nothing daunted, he knocks on the first house in the street. “Mrs Jones?” he says, and when she says she is, he repeats his phrase. She frowns at his posh English accent and then says; “Ah! You must want Jones the spy in No 14.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/26 "2023-06-04T13:52:40Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I can easily see Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 going out on a boat cruise, joined by the Chief, after a hard day at Spy School! Sounds like a good time, but I’d be careful around the ship’s doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/27 "2023-06-04T14:13:34Z")
> But this boat was suddenly hit by a fierce storm with gusts of over 70km (43m) per hour. > > “In a matter of 30 seconds, an apocalypse descended upon us,” was how Mr Carminati described the incident, according to the newspaper Corriere della Sera. “The boat immediately capsized, and we fell into the water.” In the mid-'90s dad, neighbours, and I went out to ride JetSkis on Lake Havasu. We went out to dinner, and were gone for an hour or so. We got back to our campsite to find total disarray. Powerful winds had descended on the lake, and several boats were sunk. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/28 "2023-06-04T14:21:19Z")
Gone during that particular hour? Hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/29 "2023-06-04T14:28:30Z")
Since an Italian public prosecutor is on the case, don’t be surprised if blame for the sinking is ultimately placed on [a Satanic cult conspiracy](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/monster-of-florence-amanda-knox-prosecutors-satanic-theories-rejected-by-judge/). > [@](#): > > While some reports say the boat ride was an innocent pleasure trip A three-hour tour? Better search Lake Maggiore’s islands for a group of castaways… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/30 "2023-06-04T14:41:15Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Gone during that particular hour? > Hmmm… Look. I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, or what you heard. But I am not a spy. I promise. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/31 "2023-06-04T14:44:03Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Look. I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, or what you heard. But I am not a spy. I promise. That does settle it. If we had heard or talked to anyone who knew, you’d be a terrible spy! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/32 "2023-06-04T14:46:19Z")
The Italians, and the French, have some ideas that every genuine accident should include a hefty prosecution of somebody for something. Here in the Good 'Ol US of A we just settle for decades of lawsuits and counter lawsuits. That’s so much better. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951/33 "2023-06-04T15:01:09Z")
But what better cover than to appear to be incompetent? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spies-die-in-mysterious-boat-accident/984951.md?page=1)