Sea Diamond Runs aground and starts sinking

[MMSmith]

from CNN:

 

 

[Sil]

I was scheduled to be on this boat in 6 weeks as a part of a tour. This would of been my first time on a cruise ship but after hearing this I'm considering cancelling. I'm not sure whats worse, the ship hitting the rocks in what is supposed to be well charted waters or that Louis Hellenic glossed over the seriousness of the situation reporting the evacuation was more of a precaution yet the ship sinks several hours later! My sympathies goes out to those poor people who are stuck with no paperwork/passports or luggage. Yes it's most important that people survive but what stress they must be feeling on what should of been a enjoyable vacation. :( I'm not sure I can do this trip now, my luck will have me on a lower deck & it'll remind me of reading about the lower 5 floors being flooded when it listed. (Did I mention I don't swim? :) Gah, what a mess... Hope they find those 2 remaining people safe & sound.

[keltic]

Very sad indeed. However you shouldn´t cancel. Hundreds of people are killed everyday in car accidents, and we don´t refuse to drive. There´s something wrong in this event.

 

A cruise ship shouldn´t under any circunstance sink. They are suppose to have tight compartments and doors should have closed. And lots of lessons have been learnt from the Titanic.

 

In case case, it was a former ferry, so I am not sure it she was fitted with this system. I wonder why ships still collide against rocks. GPS exist. So I am still surprised and very sad. But life goes on.

 

I am glad that falcons5travels is safe and sound, at the end.

[causeyoutdoor]

I too have kids onboard the Sea Diamond this week. We just spent 45 minutes on the phone with them, and they are physically fine, though very upset. They were taken from Santorini to Athens overnight via the Perla. That transit occurred at about 3AM in Greece. My kids are now in a hotel in Athens. As the accident happened as they were pulling into Santorini, our group was standing in line to get ready to disembark. This means they had their wallets, cameras and some of their personal belongings with them. With the ship sinking, they have now lost all their personal belongings and all the gifts they had purchased along the way. The group was rooming on level 10 of the ship, and until the boat sank earlier today, so they were optomistic that they would see their possessions again, but with the ship sinking, their hopes are now dashed. They sound very dejected on the phone. I think they are flying home early -which is really a shame because they have seen nothing in Athens.

 

I am not so sure others are doing as well. I heard one story of a gentleman who was in the shower when the accident occurred and evacuated in a towel. And, of course, there are 2 missing passengers from France.

 

Perhaps we can start a thread here for those of us that will be going through the claims process that we are now stuck with.

[HeinBloed]

I agree with keltic - you should not cancel your trip and find another ship!

 

The SEA DIAMOND is a former ferry ship - therefore keltic is totally right: the chambers which can be flooded by such an incident is much more larger!

 

With a normal cruise ship it cannot happen.

 

I said with the LILI MARLEEN in the balitic sea. Today it's OCEAN COUNTESS - the former CUNARD COUNTESS. Check with Monarch Cruises - they have also a sales representative in New York. She is offering as direct competitor the same itineries (hours may vary!).

 

It was a very nice voyage on a small intimate ship.

 

Louis may offer you ORIENT QUEEN (recently renovated) or PERLA as replacements for SEA DIAMOND.

 

As keltic already said: do not cancel!

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Breezeon59]

This is a good site for Greek News. I find it to be relatively fair and balanced in it's reporting and a great resource for "information services" www.ekathimerini.com

[CPeters40]

My travel agent just called me about this. My girlfriend and I were booked to travel on the Sea Diamond on Monday the 9th of April... looks like that's not going to happen now.

 

Is there any word on any arrangements that Louis Cruise Lines have made for passengers? My travel agent told me that they would try to bring in a replacement ship and get it ready in time for our cruise, but they haven't confirmed yet if that would definitely be done.

 

Please let us know what your travel agent says about new arrangements.

We are booked to travel on the Sea Diamond on April 23rd. We have not heard anything from our travel agent. We were with a group of 35, so I don't know if they could actually accommodate us on another ship.

Chris (Iowa)

[HeinBloed]

Hi cruise-fellows!

 

I feel sorry about the fact the SEA DIAMOND is not at your disposal anymore.

 

But do not forget: in Europe most countries are celebrating Easter Holidays which include a public holiday today GOOD FRIDAY and EASTER MONDAY.

 

Therefore the work is very limited - although Greece celebrates orthodox Easter holidays you cannot reach anyone in Europe during this weekend. So give your travel agents some more time.

 

PERLA has nearly the same itineries.

ORIENT QUEEN will return to LOUIS CRUISE next month after she is chartered to the German Tour Operator Delphin Cruises.

 

There are two competitors who are offering nearly the same itineries. Maybe they will put some of you on OCEAN COUNTESS, OCEAN MOANARCH or AEGEAN II.

 

Ships like MONA LISA (the former KUNGSHOLM, VICTORIA, SEA PRINCESS) are available on short notice.

 

And LOUIS itself has not the smallest fleet...

 

Have some patience!!! I wish you all the best - however the cruise will be offered.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[nothomeonacruise]

I read somewhere that it took a long time to evacuate. There's some controversy regarding the evacuation procedure and time.

[Carol Anne]

So sad for everyone involved. My DH and I have been on 33 cruises. So many people hate the life boat drill but we always take them seriously. We also ran aground off St. John many years ago. Luckily the ship was not breached. We just lost the prop on the back and some hydroulic fluid.

 

I definitely wouldn't cancel your trip. Personally though I would never sail on a vessel that old. They are made differently now and also the inside passage ways are straight without all the twists and turns of some of the older liners.

 

Prayers to the French family that their family members are found and safe.

[robsvacation]

All this talk about watertight compartments it should be noted that while yes, there are watertight comparments in the ships the typically don't extend that far abore the waterline and in the event of a swamping or several compartments being compromised the ship will sink. Not too long ago Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the seas (or maybe the Monarch, it was one of the Soverign class ships) struck a reef and the captain beached the ship to prevent it from sinking.

 

The Sea Diamond was an ex-ferry but she was relatively new and they too are held to fairly high standards (especially this particular ship used to sail in the Baltic)

 

I think this speaks very poorly of Louis Cruise lines, who on the service side has always been a little sketchy, I hope the investigation does not point to safety issues as well. Last year their ship the calipso suffered an onboard fire. Not good to have two incidents so close together!

 

My heart goes out to the french family, I hope that this is just a recording mistake and the husband and daughter simply don't know they are being looked for.

 

Also, with all the news surrounding cruise ships lately, what with the incidents of people falling overboard, the Princess ship the burst into flames last year, now this, not to meantion congress looking to enact laws to cover crimes at sea, it's not a particularly good time for the industry. But honestly, short of a terrorist attack I can't see it effecting the industry much.

[etoile]

Never doubt the importance of the muster drill...things like this DO happen. :(

 

As of two hours ago, Jean-Christophe Allain and his daughter Maud were still missing. I have also heard that "most of the 400 crew members" are safe, which makes me wonder about others. Apparently there are divers looking for all of the missing people.

 

That AP video is scary...I never want to see a ship list that much again. :(

[keltic]

The hit was between deck 2 & 3 in passengers decks?. So the rocks weren´t under the water. If they were under the water the hit should have ocurred in cargo or engine room. So, why didn´t the crew see the rock?. VERY CONFUSED NOW.

[Bruce4fun]

"Not too long ago Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the seas (or maybe the Monarch, it was one of the Soverign class ships) struck a reef and the captain beached the ship to prevent it from sinking. "

 

This never happened as far as I know, where did you get this information? If the ship were beached, most likely the hull would be totally destroyed.

There has been damage to ships, where they must repair the hull, but no cruise ship has ever been beached in modern history.

[MMSmith]

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek rescuers searched for two French tourists missing after the evacuation of a cruise ship which ran aground off the Aegean island of Santorini before sinking on Friday.

 

The French Foreign Ministry said the missing Frenchman was Jean-Christophe Allain. "Mr Allain's wife and her son have been removed to a hotel in Athens. Our consul in Athens has gone there to help them," Jean-Baptiste Mattei, French Foreign Ministry spokesman, told a news conference in Paris.

[Luvtotrav]

Ships sinking/beached

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Not too long ago Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the seas (or maybe the Monarch, it was one of the Soverign class ships) struck a reef and the captain beached the ship to prevent it from sinking. "

 

This never happened as far as I know, where did you get this information? If the ship were beached, most likely the hull would be totally destroyed.

There has been damage to ships, where they must repair the hull, but no cruise ship has ever been beached in modern history.

 

 

 

Yes, it really did happen. See attached website and article regarding it.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/moa/boards/monarch.pdf

[Creepella]

I read somewhere that it took a long time to evacuate. There's some controversy regarding the evacuation procedure and time.

 

My parents were on the Sea Diamond last fall, and they said they were never required to attend a lifeboat drill. All the drills occurred while they were ashore. I just about had fits when I heard that. I had hoped it was an isolated incident, but this makes me wonder.

[robsvacation]

Ships sinking/beached

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Not too long ago Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the seas (or maybe the Monarch, it was one of the Soverign class ships) struck a reef and the captain beached the ship to prevent it from sinking. "

 

This never happened as far as I know, where did you get this information? If the ship were beached, most likely the hull would be totally destroyed.

There has been damage to ships, where they must repair the hull, but no cruise ship has ever been beached in modern history.

 

 

 

Yes, it really did happen. See attached website and article regarding it.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/moa/boards/monarch.pdf

 

Thank you for looking that up for me Luvtotravel. I remembered the incident because the beaching striked me as odd.

 

Obviously this wasn't an option fo the Sea Diamond off a rocky coast as she was.

 

I think I'll worry a little less about getting a drink-of-the-day before my next safety drill and and try instead to make a mental note of where the alternate exit is.

[Javatlkrs]

My 18 year old daughter is on that ship. We have not been able to get in touch with her via phone or text message. I am very worried.

 

I saw this recent new story:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/07/europe/EU-GEN-Greece-Cruise-Ship.php

 

It sounds like your daughter should be alright. I hope you hear from her soon. :)

[Matsonbrat]

I hear it is 2,000 below the surface she lies (600M) That lagoon is like a tall water glass full with the top being the size of the lagoon in relation to the depth. Deep volcano that lost it's top in explosion. Something does not sound right about it sinking with only a front side of the hull forward tore open. Maybe the way it was built as a ferry or someone did not properly shut all WT doors when he should have. Captain is probably finished going to sea. Too many times I have heard of Greek crews going wrong at a time like this and I remember the Greek Capt. who left his ship immediately in his launch to go get help as it sank. I see 4 ships near the landing at anchor and in "92 while on the Cunard Princess (we were here) it was rare to see another ship where you were stopped on a cruise in that area. Lower deck staterooms are subject to flooding when toilets back up like they did on the C.P. on our cruise (this may be resolved now on newer ships?) and also the first to flood in times of disaster. For about the same money you can go higher though maybe more to the stern or bow and stern sucks due to vibration, noise of engines, and maybe a noisy late night public room above. The investigation results should prove to be interesting..

[etoile]

I hear it is 2,000 below the surface she lies (600M) That lagoon is like a tall water glass full with the top being the size of the lagoon in relation to the depth.

The last I heard was that they were using scuba divers rather than submersibles...the world record for scuba is only a little over 1000 feet. So either it is not that far down, or they are using robotic equipment controlled by submersibles...?

[Matsonbrat]

My report of 600 meters may have been a false posting I read.

[Single Cruiser]

The last I heard was that they were using scuba divers rather than submersibles...the world record for scuba is only a little over 1000 feet. So either it is not that far down, or they are using robotic equipment controlled by submersibles...?

 

It only lies 200M below the surface ..

[wb2]

From the BBC -

 

Officials have named the missing pair as Jean-Christophe and Maud Allain, from Doue-la-Fontaine in western France.

They were in a four-berth cabin when the vessel struck a reef. Mr Allain's wife and son narrowly managed to escape to the upper decks.

Navy divers smashed the port hole of their cabin, but failed to find any trace of them, raising the possibility that they were trapped by watertight doors, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.

A submersible equipped with video equipment is expected to join the search.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6534441.stm

 

My son is due home tonight via London, we have not spoken with him since he left two weeks ago. All reports have been 3rd hand.... Can't wait to see him!

 

 

 

[wb2]

This just in:

 

ATHENS, Greece - The captain and five officers of a cruise ship that sank off an Aegean Sea island were charged Saturday with negligence, state television reported.

 

 

 

The six officers were charged with causing a shipwreck through negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations and polluting the environment, state NET said. All were released pending further investigations.

 

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070407/ap_on_re_eu/greece_cruise_ship_33