catlover79
05-14-2007, 10:15 AM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A cruise ship with about 280 people on board ran into trouble off the Alaskan coast and began taking on water early on Monday, forcing passengers and crew to evacuate, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Coast Guard craft were sent to the 360-foot-long (110-meter-long) Empress of the North, about 15 miles southwest of Juneau on Alaska's eastern peninsula in an area called Icy Straits, Coast Guard spokesman Christopher McLaughlin told Reuters by telephone.
The ship was listing at about 8 degrees after hitting a rock but Dan Miller, a spokesman for owner Majestic America, told Fox News it was not in danger of sinking.
"It is stable and is under its own power and as soon as all the guests and crew are transferred off, she will make her way under her own power over to Juneau where we will assess the damage," Miller said.
Coast Guard Commander Jeff Carter told CNN the ship was carrying 281 passengers and crew.
McLaughlin said about 30 passengers had been evacuated so far, with nearby commercial vessels helping the Coast Guard, including a cruise ship that was due at the scene shortly to help evacuate remaining passengers.
"Several Good Samaritan boats are on the scene and taking passengers off," McLaughlin said. He said it was unclear how much water the boat was taking on.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or what caused the ship to run into trouble in 3-foot (0.9-meter) seas in icy waters.
"We're not sure what they hit," McLaughlin said.
The ship has 112 staterooms and an old-fashioned rear paddle wheel, according to the Web site of its owner, the Majestic America cruise line.
Majestic America is a division of Ambassadors Cruise Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ambassadors International Inc.. Its decor includes Native American totems and masks, as well as Faberge eggs and other Russian artwork.
I've talked before about my fear of large bodies of water and how I have no desire to go on a cruise. This does nothing to change my mind. :eek:
Coast Guard craft were sent to the 360-foot-long (110-meter-long) Empress of the North, about 15 miles southwest of Juneau on Alaska's eastern peninsula in an area called Icy Straits, Coast Guard spokesman Christopher McLaughlin told Reuters by telephone.
The ship was listing at about 8 degrees after hitting a rock but Dan Miller, a spokesman for owner Majestic America, told Fox News it was not in danger of sinking.
"It is stable and is under its own power and as soon as all the guests and crew are transferred off, she will make her way under her own power over to Juneau where we will assess the damage," Miller said.
Coast Guard Commander Jeff Carter told CNN the ship was carrying 281 passengers and crew.
McLaughlin said about 30 passengers had been evacuated so far, with nearby commercial vessels helping the Coast Guard, including a cruise ship that was due at the scene shortly to help evacuate remaining passengers.
"Several Good Samaritan boats are on the scene and taking passengers off," McLaughlin said. He said it was unclear how much water the boat was taking on.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or what caused the ship to run into trouble in 3-foot (0.9-meter) seas in icy waters.
"We're not sure what they hit," McLaughlin said.
The ship has 112 staterooms and an old-fashioned rear paddle wheel, according to the Web site of its owner, the Majestic America cruise line.
Majestic America is a division of Ambassadors Cruise Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ambassadors International Inc.. Its decor includes Native American totems and masks, as well as Faberge eggs and other Russian artwork.
I've talked before about my fear of large bodies of water and how I have no desire to go on a cruise. This does nothing to change my mind. :eek: