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240 hurt in liner accident
19/07/2006 22:06 - (SA)
Miami - About 240 people were treated for injuries after a New York-bound cruise ship suddenly listed as it was leaving port in Florida, the Princess cruise line said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said 94 of the 240 passengers who had been treated on board the Crown Princess for various injuries such as abrasions, bruises and fractures on Tuesday were later transferred to hospitals.
Three passengers and two crew remained in hospital on Wednesday and were "expected to make a full recovery", the cruise line said in a statement.
The accident occurred 17km offshore, shortly after the recently inaugurated Crown Princess left Port Canaveral, in southern Florida, on Tuesday.
The ship listed sharply portside (left), setting people and objects in violent motion and emptying the swimming pools - tsunami-style - onto the decks.
"As a result of the heavy list, there was also considerable superficial damage to the interior of the ship, and this is expected to be quickly repaired," the company said.
The ship returned to port after the accident.
About 1 600 passengers had disembarked by Wednesday morning. Almost 1 900 were still on board making arrangements to return home, the cruise line said.
The US coast guard said the accident was apparently caused by a steering problem.
- AFP
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