Millenium bus accident

[KathieKata]

Deepest Condolences to the family and friends and to the neighbors back home.

[selucrey]

We are pretty much in shock but I'll keep you posted as soon as we know more.

 

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Eileen

 

I would like to express my heart-felt sympathy for your loss. My son lives in Lanoka Harbor and I have spent time in your community. I can only imagine the grief throughout the township. Please know that we all are offering our thoughts and prayers that you and all the families will make it through this time of tribulation.

[dorinel]

Eileen and Pat,

 

My heartfelt sympathy on the loss of your family and friends. They are in my prayers.

 

May God give you strength to get through this trying time.

[Andipanda1]

Our deepest condolences go to the families who have lost loved ones due to this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to you.

 

Andi & Aitch

[dkjretired]

Watched the news conference as long as it was on. The only thing really new is that the persons on board the bus were part of a 54 or 64 person B'nai Brith group. Fox news is now reporting they are from New Jersey which we knew last night from reading the boards. The ship will be leaving today.

[mafig]

Please accept my deepest sympathy to all involved.

[Lady Hop]

I too offer my prayers and sympathy for all those affected by the loss of friends and loved ones. This is a very tragic event. It is so scary because as a previous poster said it could've happened to any one of us.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Our condolences and prayers for all who are affected by this sad event. Eileen and Pat, you are in our thoughts and prayers today. It is such a shock to hear about an event that should not have happened...going from joy to devastation in a matter of seconds...very sad indeed.

 

ROSS

[rox6983]

Jumping over from the Carnival Board. My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this time of sorrow.

 

Roxann

[billisd]

Eileen & Pat --

 

Please accept our deep condolances to you and your families and communities. We share your loss and will keep you all in our prayers and thoughts.

 

Billi & Allan

[TXDrifter]

R.I.P.

 

The tourists were returning to Celebrity Cruises' ship Millennium from an excursion to Lauca National Park when the driver swerved to avoid an approaching truck on a rugged highway near Arica, 1,250 miles north of Santiago, he said.

[airhead22]

My prayers are with you all.

[pearlie]

My thoughts and prayers are w/ all those involved. OUR cruising family is deeply saddened. We will be cruising on the Constellation Sunday, and will certainly pray for those killed and their families...

[Nutty4Vols]

Dropping by from the Carnival boards - Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone dealing with the loss and tragedy that occured. We are also praying for the injured and survivors. Cruise Critic is like a large extended family and its nice to read the support and prayers from all around the different threads.

[dkjretired]

remarks at the Press conference today.

 

http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=rcl&script=410&layout=9&item_id=834868

[bucky06]

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I've been passing the posts to my husband and his sisters. They and I are very, very touched by the amazing kindness of strangers on this wonderful board.

 

Right now we don't know what's going on. Celebrity is keeping us to date with any information that they have and have made themselves available to us whenever we need them with a special person available 24/7 to the families. However there are few details which is hard on my husband and his sisters.

 

RodPat is absolutely right about my in-laws and the rest of people that died with them. They were an active traveling bunch of retirees. In fact we saw less of my in-laws when they moved into their community 8 years ago then when they were working because they were always organizing and going on trips - day trips, cruises, land adventures. We needed a special calendar just for their trips because we never knew where they were going to be. At least we are comforted by the fact that they died doing something they loved, traveling.

 

Thank you,

Eileen

 

First off, I want to extend my deepest sympathy for your family's loss. We all feel this pain...it could have been any one of us. I have a question and forgive me if it's inappropriate, or you've already answered it. What was the name of the retirement community? My parents live in a retirement community near Pt. Pleasant.

[dileep]

[Eliger]

Also extending my condolances to the families involved as well as the community in New Jersey.

 

This is the latest statement from the president of Celebrity Cruises: http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=rcl&script=410&layout=9&item_id=834868

[Lois R]

Don, thank you for posting that link.

[CRUZGAL53]

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.

[dileep]

Remarks of Dan Hanrahan President of Celebrity Cruises - As Prepared - Regarding Millennium Press Conference March 23, 2006 - 9 a.m. EST

MIAMI, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- * Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.* It is my sad duty to report that a significant and tragic incident involving guests from Celebrity Cruises' Millennium occurred yesterday at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. Eastern Time) in a remote area about 28 miles northeast of Arica, Chile.

* Before I begin, let me assure everyone watching and listening today that all of us at Celebrity Cruises are doing everything possible to assist guests and family members affected by this terrible event. Although this situation continues to evolve, we will now share with you what we have been able to confirm to this point. Let me also assure you that we will continue to provide you updates as additional facts become known.

* Now, here's what we do know at this time:

* Fourteen guests from Celebrity Cruises' Millennium who were riding in a bus operated by an independent tour operator not affiliated with our cruise line were involved in an accident about 28 miles northeast of Arica, Chile. According to reports, the guests were returning from Lauca National Park on an independent, private tour they had arranged.

* We understand at this time that the bus in which they were riding swerved to avoid an approaching truck on a rugged mountain highway. The bus apparently ran off the road and plunged 300 feet down a mountainside.

* 12 guests on the bus were killed, and two other guests were injured in the accident. Reports indicate that the Chilean driver of the bus and the tour guide also were injured.

* The guests who were involved in the accident are part of a larger, 64- person B'nai B'rith group. Celebrity Cruises is consulting with a rabbi to advise us on how best to support the families.

* Responders to the accident scene transported the injured to the Arica Juan Noah Hospital for treatment. It is my understanding that the two injured guests are now in stable condition and have been moved to an ICU unit as a precaution. In a few moments, Dr. Lynn can address any questions you may have about their condition.

* Upon learning of the accident, Millennium's captain dispatched a physician, nurse and concierge to the hospital to assist the injured and local medical personnel.

* Celebrity Cruises also notified the U.S. Consulate, U.S. Coast Guard and Bahamian authorities. The company is now working in close coordination with those entities, as well as Chilean authorities, to assist the injured and the families of those killed or injured in the accident.

* I want to assure everyone that all of us at Celebrity Cruises are doing whatever we can to assist in the investigation now under way. And, we will continue to do so as that investigation continues to unfold.

* Millennium departed Valparaiso, Chile, March 19 on a 14-night sailing that is scheduled to conclude in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 2. Yesterday's accident occurred on the fourth day of the cruise and at the first port call. Millennium was carrying 1,536 guests and 920 crew members on this particular sailing.

* Millennium was scheduled to leave Arica last night at 7 p.m. local time for its next port call at Lima, Peru, on Friday. In an effort to assist authorities and allow any guests who wish to depart the ship, we have postponed Millennium's departure from Arica until about 9 a.m. local time today.

* This morning, the ship will conduct a service onboard for guests who wish to pay their respect to those involved in the accident. We also have opened all phone lines and Internet access to guests onboard Millennium so they can communicate with their friends and loved ones to apprise them of their safety.

* The ship's physician, nurse and concierge dispatched to the hospital will remain in Arica to assist Chilean medical personnel, as well as family members of those guests involved in the accident.

* Celebrity Cruises has established two toll-free telephone lines for family members of guests sailing on Millennium for this cruise. Please let me emphasize that these numbers are for family members ONLY. Callers in North America should dial 1-888-829-4050. Again, that number is 1-888-829-4050.

* Callers from outside North America should call the following number collect: 305-539-4050. Again, callers from outside North America should call collect: 305-539-4050.

* Let me repeat that these numbers are for family members only, and we are requesting that the general public not call them. This will allow families of those onboard Millennium to receive the information they need in a timely manner.

* I would also ask that the media and others respect the privacy of our guests, crew and their families as the authorities work to determine the cause of this terrible accident. These individuals need some time and space to begin to deal with the situation.

* In transit to Arica is a special-assistance team from our Miami headquarters led by our Vice President for Marine Operations, John Krousouloudis. The rabbi also is with this team. These team members will be on the scene at about 11 a.m. local time to render whatever assistance possible.

* At this time, Celebrity Cruises is flying family members of those involved in the accident, and who choose to go, to Chile. We are not disclosing the departure locations of these flights to provide these family members the privacy they need during this painful, enormously difficult time.

* I would like to add that Celebrity Cruises is, at this point, unable to provide the names of the guests who were involved in this terrible accident out of respect for their families. As I said, some of those family members are in the air now, on their way to identify their loved ones.

* At this moment, all of us share the pain and anguish of this terrible event. We are devastated. On behalf of everyone at Celebrity Cruises, I'd like to extend our thoughts and prayers to everyone whose lives have been touched by this tragedy.

* Our first concern and primary focus remains with those people touched in some way by this terrible event. I pledge that Celebrity Cruises will do whatever we can to help find the answers we all want ... and need. I also promise that I -- and all other members of our senior-management team -- will remain personally involved in efforts to find those answers.

* Thank you. At this time, I will now turn things over to Dr. Lynn from Jackson Memorial Hospital.

[leenie29]

First off, I want to extend my deepest sympathy for your family's loss. We all feel this pain...it could have been any one of us. I have a question and forgive me if it's inappropriate, or you've already answered it. What was the name of the retirement community? My parents live in a retirement community near Pt. Pleasant.

 

No it's not a problem. It was a Bnai Brith Ponds Lodge group that my father-in-law organized with 64 people from their community. The community is The Ponds in Monroe Township (Cranbury), NJ.

 

Thank you to the poster who posted the transcript from the cruise conference.

 

Eileen

[bucky06]

No it's not a problem. It was a Bnai Brith Ponds Lodge group that my father-in-law organized with 64 people from their community. The community is The Ponds in Monroe Township (Cranbury), NJ.

 

Thank you to the poster who posted the transcript from the cruise conference.

 

Eileen

 

Thank you. Stay strong....

[cusyl]

I followed this news last night and had hoped that our Cruise Critic family was not involved in this tragedy. My condolences to all of you so deeply touched by this disaster.

None of us know when our time will come, just a split second decision by the driver to avoid another vehicle has touched so many lives. Very sad.

[June Bug]

She was a missionary in North Africa and was only 24 years old. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?Id=13951

Her tour bus was returning from Mt. Sinai in the deserts of Egypt when it swerved to avoid a stalled truck in the road as it rounded the corner. The bus flipped several times and 4 passengers were killed. She was due to return home from her 2 year long trip there only 2 weeks after her accident occurred. What compounded this hurt was this occurred the day before 9/11 and we were unable to have her body back here because all flights shut down, especially from middle eastern countries. We had to wait and have her funeral 2 1/2 weeks later. This was such a hard time and I can sympathize with those remaining family members. My family gained much comfort knowing that she passed away doing something she so dearly loved and desired to do. I'm hoping that these families also find some comfort in their faith. I will be praying for each and every one of you that lost someone in that horrific accident.

June