Cruise ship remains adrift near Mexico
2013-02-11 18:59
-
Us
An old fashioned story by Mary Louisa Molesworth (1836-1921). The author of beloved children's...
Now R150.00
buy now
Washington - A US cruise ship with more than 4 200 people
aboard was adrift for a second day on Monday off the coast of Mexico after an
engine room fire crippled it, the US Coast Guard confirmed.
The Carnival Triumph was operating on reserve power 240km
off the Yucatan peninsula, and awaiting a tow vessel to pull it back to port at
Progreso, Mexico, Carnival said.
None of the 3 143 passengers and 1 086 crew aboard the
272m ship were injured in the fire.
"The ship's automatic fire extinguishing systems
activated and the fire was contained to the aft engine room. At this time, the
fire is fully extinguished," Carnival said in a statement on Sunday.
It said passengers were being provided food and drink and
that the ship was receiving provisions from a second Carnival vessel on the
scene.
A US Coast Guard official said it was watching the
situation as the ship continued to drift on Monday and was prepared to help,
though the vessel was in Mexican waters.
"We have an asset on scene, a cutter," he said,
as well as an aircraft on standby.
In January 2012 a Carnival ship, the Costa Concordia, ran
aground and sank off the Italian coast, killing 32.
Carnival shares were down 0.6% at $38.78 on the New York
Stock Exchange.
