Tunisia - my thoughts with the cruisers there

A bit off topic as it isn't a Cunard cruise but cant help thinking of the horror in Tunisia today that apparently tourists from a European cruise ship have been involved in. Hope they are all ok - so awful to think about! MSC Splendida and Costa Fascinosa in port today so not sure which one has been involved.. Thoughts are with them..

A bit off topic as it isn't a Cunard cruise but cant help thinking of the horror in Tunisia today that apparently tourists from a European cruise ship have been involved in. Hope they are all ok - so awful to think about! MSC Splendida and Costa Fascinosa in port today so not sure which one has been involved.. Thoughts are with them..

CNN just reported that an MSC ship was in port and that the cruise line confirmed that some passengers were on tours in the area affected, but did not say if any passengers were among the victims.

With prayers for the victims and their families,

Salacia

As Sophistikatie mentioned, the Costa Fascinosa is also in port...

"...Many Italians were in the area when the attack took place, the Italian foreign ministry said. A large cruise ship, the Costa Fascinosa, was docked in Tunis on Wednesday morning, and a number of its 3,100 passengers had gone ashore planning to visit the museum, a spokesman for the cruise line said. Piero Fassino, the mayor of Turin, Italy, told Italian television that six City Hall workers were there, but that only two had been heard from. “We are waiting for news with a certain anguish,” he said..." quoted from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/19/world/africa/gunmen-attack-tunis-bardo-national-museum.html?_r=0

CNN just reported that an MSC ship was in port and that the cruise line confirmed that some passengers were on tours in the area affected, but did not say if any passengers were among the victims.

 

With prayers for the victims and their families,

Salacia

According to CruiseTT, Both Costa Fascinosa and MSC Splendida were docked at La Goulette.

According to latest reports, 17 people were murdered and 44 were wounded. Reports include the victims being from Austrailia, Japan, Italy, Colombia, Spain, France and Poland.

"Some of the Italians at the museum were also passengers on a cruise liner, the Costa Fascinosa that had docked in Tunis while on a seven-day tour of the western Mediterranean.

The cruise ship company has said 14 passengers have not yet returned to the ship following the attack.

Costa Crociere said in a statement that they were in close contact with Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local security authorities.

The company said they had teams in Tunis to ensure all passengers are accounted for and that assistance is granted to all, including those who are not aboard." - copied from http://www.news.com.au/world/africa/gunmen-in-tunisia-shoot-dead-tourists-at-national-bardo-museum/story-fnh81gzi-1227268741752

Madness.

"...Based on the communication made by official authorities, MSC Cruises, its ownership and entire management team report with profound sadness that at the time of this announcement nine of its guests are reported to have lost their lives, 12 were injured, and six (two Spanish nationals, one Belgian, one British, one French and one Japanese) are still unaccounted for in conjunction with the tragic event at the Bardo Museum. However, these numbers are still subject to modification whilst official identification is on-going.

According to sources it would appear that of the victims, three were of Japanese nationality, two French, two Spanish and two were Colombian. The wounded, of which three Japanese nationals, one South African, one Belgian and seven French, are currently being treated in various hospitals. All of them are being assisted in person by members of the MSC Cruises Crisis Team that was immediately sent to Tunis to provide on the ground support..." -quoted from

http://www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/About-MSC-Cruises/News/MSC-Cruises-Official-Statement-Tunisia-Events.aspx

I had a look at this website http://www.cruisetimetables.com/ to see which cruiselines were visiting Tunisian ports this year -- mostly MSC and Costa.

Considering that Tunisia is adjacent to Libya (which is and has been for a long time, in turmoil) - why have these two cruisleines continued to frequent this part of the World??

Barry

... why have these two cruisleines continued to frequent this part of the World?? Barry

Can't speak for the cruiselines, but Tunisia has been very popular for decades, a favourite destination, for land-based holidays for people in the UK and, so I understand, throughout Europe and beyond.

In some countries, even where there are trouble spots in one area, other parts are deemed safe. Let alone the countries next door to known problem states.

Given that this current (since the 90s) madness seems world-wide (Kenya, USA, Spain, UK, Bali, Australia, Nigeria, France, India, Pakistan, Denmark, Canada, across the whole of the middle east, forgive me if I've forgotten an atrocity I should have remembered), the only thing to do to stay safe, is to stay at home (unless of course home is Kenya, USA, Spain, UK, Bali, Australia, Nigeria, France, India, Pakistan, Denmark, Canada... or the rest of the planet).

Best wishes.

Bazzaw. Amazed after Dec 15-16 2014 cruise ships still call at Australia.

Cheers.

It's absolutely tragic. To think that the bus doors opened, people started to come out, and it was open season on them- it's just too awful. We tend to let our guard down on a cruise, and they must have been looking forward to getting off the bus and beginning the museum tour, and then to be gunned down- just tragic.

It's absolutely tragic. To think that the bus doors opened, people started to come out, and it was open season on them- it's just too awful. We tend to let our guard down on a cruise, and they must have been looking forward to getting off the bus and beginning the museum tour, and then to be gunned down- just tragic.