Question 5102 Deck General

The correct answer is B) failure of mooring lines 3 or 4. The sudden unexpected inclination to port and aft, combined with strong winds and high waves from the starboard bow, suggests a failure of the mooring lines on the starboard side (lines 3 or 4). This would cause the vessel to shift in that direction, leading to the observed list. The other options are incorrect because: A) Equalizing ballast tanks would not cause a sudden inclination, C) a leak in a single ballast tank would not lead to this degree of instability, and D) failure of mooring lines 1 or 2 on the port side would not result in a list to port and aft.