[Rhodes22-list] Dozens Injured After Cruise Ship Tilts

[Bill Effros]

Rummy!

*Dozens Injured After Cruise Ship Tilts*

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Jul 18, 10:33 PM (ET)

By TRAVIS REED
<http://apnews.excite.com/image/20060718/CRUISE_SHIP.sff_FLJR113_20060718211841.html?date=20060719&docid=D8IUPK985> 

(AP) The Crown Princess cruise ship is escorted by the U.S. Coast Guard 
as it returns to the port at...
Full Image 
<http://apnews.excite.com/image/20060718/CRUISE_SHIP.sff_FLJR113_20060718211841.html?date=20060719&docid=D8IUPK985> 


PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A steering problem caused a new cruise ship 
to roll abruptly Tuesday, throwing passengers and crew to the deck and 
injuring dozens, including two critically, officials said.

One passenger said seawater flooded several upper decks of the Crown 
Princess, forcing water from a swimming pool "like a mini-tsunami," and 
breaking windows and furniture.

The vessel, with about 3,100 passengers and 1,200 crew, had just 
departed Port Canaveral on Florida's east coast en route to New York 
when it listed badly to its left side, said Coast Guard spokesman Petty 
Officer James Judge.

The ship then righted itself before returning to port, where the Coast 
Guard said all passengers and crew had been accounted for.

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Besides an adult and a child who were critically hurt, 12 people were 
seriously hurt and about 70 had lesser injuries, said Cape Canaveral 
Fire Rescue Capt. Jim Watson.

Thirty-three people were taken to hospitals, he said. Most had bruises 
and minor back and neck injures.

Tom Daus, 32, was sunbathing on the ship's upper deck when the ship 
began to list.

"It became very disastrous because ... tables, glasses, lounge chairs 
went flying," he told The Associated Press in a cell phone interview. "I 
was just holding on for dear life onto the bannister of the ship."

Daus, of New York City, said several of the upper decks were flooded and 
the elevators were inoperable. Gym equipment flipped over, TVs fell off 
their shelves and shattered glass was strewn across the deck, he said.

<http://apnews.excite.com/image/20060718/CRUISE_SHIP.sff_FLJR114_20060718212250.html?date=20060719&docid=D8IUPK985> 

(AP) After an incident aboard the cruise ship Crown Princess, injured 
passengers are treated and some...
Full Image 
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"The water came gushing out of the pool like a mini-tsunami," he said. 
"It was really scary. People who were in the pool were shoved out."

Daus said most of the injured he saw were senior citizens being taken 
out on wheelchairs or stretchers. The remaining passengers were mostly 
calm, despite the chaos, he said.

Bonnie Storie, 50, of Rochester, N.Y., was traveling with her husband 
and teenage son. "It felt like (the ship) was going to fall over," she 
said. "It was shocking."

Chris Broadbent, a 33-year-old honeymooner from New York City, said 
Tuesday night's movie on the ship was supposed to be "Titanic."

Stan Payne, CEO of the Canaveral Port Authority, said the cruise line 
wanted passengers to wait until other lodging could be arranged, but 
were free to leave the vessel if they wanted. He said the ship would 
remain in port for several days.

<http://apnews.excite.com/image/20060718/CRUISE_SHIP.sff_FLJR113_20060718211841.html?date=20060719&docid=D8IUPK985> 

(AP) The Crown Princess cruise ship is escorted by the U.S. Coast Guard 
as it returns to the port at...
Full Image 
<http://apnews.excite.com/image/20060718/CRUISE_SHIP.sff_FLJR113_20060718211841.html?date=20060719&docid=D8IUPK985> 


Princess Cruises, one of 12 brands operated by Miami-based Carnival 
Corp. (CCL 
<http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/short.jsp?symbol_search_text=CCL>), said 
it was investigating the cause of the incident.

Before leaving Port Canaveral, the ship has just completed a nine-day 
Western Caribbean cruise, she said. The 113,000-ton ship began sailing a 
month ago and was making its fourth voyage.

"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.

Martha Stewart christened the Crown Princess last month before it 
embarked on its maiden voyage to the Caribbean from its home terminal in 
the New York borough of Brooklyn.