No AC Or Toilets, Crippled Carnival Ship Needs Tow
MIAMI (CBS4) - One of Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines' newest ships was dead in the water Monday night, more than 100 miles off the Mexican coast, as fire damage to the engine room left thousands of passengers without hot food, working toilets, or air conditioning for their cabins. Everyone is safe, the cruise line says, but the cruise is over as soon as the Carnival Splendor can be towed to a Mexican port.
Fire broke out in the forward engine room around 6 a.m, Pacific time, the cruise line confirmed. Guests whose rooms were near the engine room were evacuated to the Lido Deck, an upper deck that opens onto the outdoors. The fire was reported out by 9 a.m., but a re-flash occurred, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The damage is so extensive, the ship's key operating systems, including air conditioning, flushing toilets, hot meal preparations and telephones are not available.
Guests are being provided with bottled water and food items and are able to move around on the ship's upper open deck areas.
Several tow boats were heading toward the ship's location, which is about 150 miles south of San Diego. The US Coast Guard also sent ships to the area.
The 925-foot liner, carrying 3,300 passengers and more than 1,100 crew members will be towed to Ensenada, Mexico and passengers will be taken back to California, where the cruise line will help get them home.
"We know this has been an extremely trying situation for our guests and we sincerely thank them for their patience, " Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, said in a statement posted on Carnival's website.
"Conditions on board the ship are very challenging and we sincerely apologize for the discomfort and inconvenience our guests are currently enduring. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority and we are working to get our guests home as quickly as possible."
Carnival is offering passenger full reimbursement for the trip, along with any additional costs associated with returning early. All guests will also receive a complimentary cruise in the future that is of equal or lesser value than canceled trip.
According to Carnival, there were no injuries to guests or crew reported.
