14 Seriously Hurt When Cruise Ship Rolls Off Port Canaveral
POSTED: 4:59 pm EDT July 18, 2006
UPDATED: 11:18 pm EDT July 18, 2006
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Crown Princess, a cruise ship making its fourth voyage, suddenly rolled heavily to its left Tuesday, throwing passengers and crew to the deck. A child and an adult were critically hurt, officials said.About 12 others were seriously hurt and about 70 had lesser injuries, said Cape Canaveral Fire Rescue Capt. Jim Watson. No deaths have been reported and the Coast Guard said all passengers and crew have been accounted for.
Tom Daus, 32, told The Associated Press in a cell phone interview from the ship that he was sunbathing on the upper deck when the roll started.
"It became very disastrous because everything was flying with them - tables, glasses, lounge chairs went flying," said Daus, who was traveling with his parents. "I was just holding on for dear life onto the bannister of the ship.
"The Crown Princess, which was carrying about 3,100 passengers and 1,200 crew members, was 11 1/2 miles southeast of Port Canaveral en route to New York when it experienced problems with its steering equipment, causing the roll, Coast Guard Petty Officer James Judge said.
Judge said could not immediately say how many degrees the 113,000-ton ship listed.
Daus, of Brooklyn, N.Y., said the accident left several of the upper decks flooded and the elevators were not working. Gym equipment flipped over, TVs fell off their shelves and shattered glass was strewn across the deck, he said.
"The water came gushing out of the pool like a mini tsunami. It was really scary. People who were in the pool were shoved out.
"Daus said the majority of injured people he saw were senior citizens who were being taken out on wheelchairs or stretchers.
The remaining passengers were mostly calm, despite the chaotic surroundings, Daus said.
Passenger Bonnie Storie, 50, from Rochester, N.Y., was traveling with her husband and teenage son.
"It felt like it was going to fall over," Storie said. "It was shocking.
"Stan Payne, CEO of the Canaveral Port Authority, said the cruise line was asking passengers to stay on the ship until arrangements for their lodging can be made, but they can leave if they want. Customs officials were expected to arrive at 5 a.m. Wednesday to start processing passengers, authorities said.
"The problem is one of logistics, people getting to the airport, people getting to Orlando. We have been told Orlando's hotels are full," Payne said. He said the ship will remain in port for several days.
The ship is owned by Princess Cruises, one of 12 brands operated by Miami-based Carnival Corp. The company said it was investigating the roll's cause. The ship had just left Port Canaveral after a nine-day Western Caribbean cruise. It was originally scheduled to return to New York Thursday.
Martha Stewart christened the Crown Princess last month before it embarked on its maiden voyage to the Caribbean from its home terminal in Brooklyn.
"We deeply regret this incident, and are doing everything we can to make our passengers as comfortable as possible under these difficult circumstances," company spokeswoman Julie Benson said. The Coast Guard planned to inspect the ship Wednesday.
Seven patients were taken to Cape Canaveral Hospital and another 15 were expected, hospital spokeswoman Debbie Helton said. Of the seven, three had moderate injuries and four had minor injuries, she said.
Two other patients, one in good condition, went to Holms Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, she said.Parrish Medical Center spokeswoman Natalie Sellers said about 20 people were being treated at the hospital, mostly with minor neck and back injuries and bumps and bruises.
The Crown Princess carries a maximum of 3,080 passengers and a crew of 1,200, but it is not known how many people were on the ship when it left the port Tuesday.
"Ironically, the movie they were going to show (Wednesday) night was Titanic," Forbes said.
What Cruise ship, in their right mind would play "The Titanic"? Isn't that like tempting fate?
posted by ...jus me at 2:21 PM
2 Comments:
How scary!
It's a miracle more weren't injured! The whole story is frightening... but TITANIC!? What were they thinking? Honestly!
(Thank you for constantly popping over to check on me and for your thoughts and prayers and words of encouragement! Please know how greatly it's appreciated! Thank you! God bless!)
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