154 evacuated safely from cruise ship after it strikes ice off Antarctica

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: A Canadian cruise ship struck ice off Antarctica and began taking on water, but all 154 passengers and crew took to lifeboats and were rescued safely Friday by a passing Norwegian liner, officials said.

The passengers and crew from the Explorer were picked up by the Nordnorge, a Norwegian cruise ship that was nearby and responded to the distress call, said Susan Hayes of G.A.P. Adventures of Toronto, which owns the stricken vessel.

"The ship ran into some ice. It was submerged ice and the result was a hole about the size of a fist in the side of the hull so it began taking on water ... but quite slowly," she said. "The passengers are absolutely fine. They're all accounted for, no injuries whatsoever."

News Link

Its kind of like a second Titantic experience!
Except thankfully it didnt end so bad and everyone was saved.


--Min

[edit on 23-11-2007 by minnie]

(added original story headline)

Mod Note: Starting threads in the News Forums Please Review Link.


[edit on 23-11-2007 by Jbird]

Considering that any trip to the Antarctic is probably undertaken with the intention of "having an adventure", I would have to say that the passengers on this cruise certainly got their money's worth.

Nevertheless, the passengers are really quite fortunate. The waters around the South Pole are known for their storms and for being very treacherous. This incident could have been so much worse. Let's all be thankful that there was no loss of life.

Shows you how dangerous the sea still is

Most arctic and antarctic ships are "ice" class with reinforced hulls , I dont know why a cruise liner would have trouble with a fist sized hole unless it was a ballast tank or on the double hull (if it had one...)

Maybe the ship was rather old....

After spending most of the day on her side it looks like the Canadian ship has completely sunk now.

Chilean navy vessels in the area lost sight of the stricken MS Explorer early Friday evening, hours after the pre-dawn accident near Antarctica's South Shetland Islands, and wreckage indicated it had gone under completely, according to a navy press officer who declined be identified in accordance with department policy.

"Our units in the area aren't seeing anything," he told The Associated Press by telephone. "The Explorer is not visible any longer."

www.jpost.com...

A man proposed to his girlfriend while in the lifeboat. And she said yes

Originally posted by C G Fleischer
A man proposed to his girlfriend while in the lifeboat. And she said yes

I hope that's a true story, I love to see something good come of an adverse situation, and I hope this strengthens the path they take in life.
It's like they have been given a second chance.

There's now another cruise ship drama in the Antarctica. MV Ushuaia has run aground and is taking on water. There are 122 people onboard. Other ships are heading there in order to rescue the passengers.



Cruise ship drama in Antarctica

Cruise ship carrying 122 adrift in Antarctica

Cruise ship calls for help in Antarctica



MV Ushuaia

[edit on 2008/12/4 by Hellmutt]

I really don't get this.......

I can understand an equipment failure and drifting into shallow water, striking a shoal, grounding on a rock, etc........

But seriously, with today's navigation there's no reason to run aground.:shk:
Buy a chart before you set out and do your job on the bridge.