Cruise Ship Runs Aground in Alaska

[Cruzin' Rob]

News story I just read, thought it may be of interest to some.

 

 

 

UNALASKA, Alaska - The cruise ship Clipper Oydssey ran hard aground on rocks in the Aleutian Islands, forcing 153 passengers and crew to transfer to other ships and spilling an undetermined amount of fuel from a ruptured tank, the Coast Guard said.

 

 

 

No injuries were reported and the ship floated free with the tide early Sunday.

 

 

The accident at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday punctured both a 5,800-gallon fuel tank on the port side and a waste water tank, the Coast Guard said. The amount of fuel spill had not been determined, Lt. Asheley Bodkin said early Sunday.

 

 

Other vessels in the area, including fishing boats and a freighter, took 122 passengers and 31 crew members off the cruise ship and took them to the port of Unalaska, about 40 miles away, Bodkin said. Unalaska is about 800 air miles west of Anchorage.

 

 

Thirty-five crew members, two pilots and two Coast Guard personnel stayed on board.

 

 

After refloating, the 340-foot Clipper Odyssey was underway on its power Sunday to Unalaska, said Petty Officer Douglas Green.

 

 

The Coast Guard sent cutters, a helicopter and an airplane to the scene.

 

 

The ship had been headed west along the Aleutian chain although its destination was not immediately known.

 

 

The operator at the 340-foot Clipper Odyssey, Clipper Cruise Line of St. Louis, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

[FinelyCruising]

Now how does that happen?:confused:

[bunduo]

How DOES stuff like this happen? There is a whole lot of technology available that is used to prevent things like this. I am sure it was a combination of things. Human error, fog, equipment malfunction...too much alcohol.....

 

Our headwaiter on the Explorer was on the Royal Caribbean ship that ran aground in St. Thomas. Apparently, they were dropping off a passenger that had a medical emergency. When they turned the ship, it ran aground. RCCL had to get everyone home including the non-essential crew.