Cruise ship evacuated off Santorini.

[Gitte]

Glad everybody is safe.

 

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- A cruise ship carrying nearly 1,200 passengers and some 400 crew was being evacuated off the Greek island of Santorini on Thursday after issuing a distress signal, authorities said.

 

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/05/greece.cruiseship.ap/index.html

 

 

** Cruise ship evacuated off Greece **

An operation to take up to 1,600 people off a stricken cruise ship is under way near the Greek island of Santorini.

< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/6530475.stm >

 

http://www.nedcruise.info/seadiamond.htm

 

 

Gitte

[Andy]

Glad everybody is safe.

 

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- A cruise ship carrying nearly 1,200 passengers and some 400 crew was being evacuated off the Greek island of Santorini on Thursday after issuing a distress signal, authorities said.

 

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/05/greece.cruiseship.ap/index.html

 

 

** Cruise ship evacuated off Greece **

An operation to take up to 1,600 people off a stricken cruise ship is under way near the Greek island of Santorini.

< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/6530475.stm >

 

http://www.nedcruise.info/seadiamond.htm

 

 

Gitte

 

 

Hi Gitte !

 

As you said.... thank goodness, everyone appears to be safe !

[Cote d'or]

Here's the announcement on the website of Louis cruises :

http://www.louiscruises.com/news/news_details/sea_diamond.html

 

I really wonder how this could have happen.:confused:

[Cruisininfinity]

This is freaky. this reminds me so much of July 2003 on the Summit, the ship hit a rock leaving hubbard Glacier (under the control of a pilot) and got a 12 foot gash in the starboard side ballast tank. She was able to return to Seward under her own power though.

 

"The hull was damaged when the vessel, under the control of a marine pilot who called out instructions as a crew member steered, hit a rock leaving Hubbard Glacier. The result was a 10-foot-long hole in the ballast tank midway along the hull, and a 140-foot-long crease. The ship docked safely at Seward on Friday (July 11)." from http://www.cruisejunkie.com/events2003.html

[usavvy2]

well if you're going to be stranded anywhere, Santorini is certainly the place to be... as long as there's enough hotel accommodations on that island to accommodate the entire ship.

[TLCC]

Crusininfinity: We were on the Summit when it hit the rock at Hubbard Glacier. The interesting thing is that, we felt a little bump (our balcony was very near where the gash occurred), but none of the passengers knew Anything had happened until we got back to Seward. We found out from the TV at our Anchorage hotel a couple of days later!

 

Too bad the people/ship at Santorini had to actually evacuate. Glad there weren't any injuries.

[VPGPH]

I just checked the news and the cruise ship sunk earlier this morning. It was empty. I am glad that everyone is ok..

[Eleris]

According to CNN there is a 45 year old Frenchmen and his 16 year old daughter missing. Let's hope that this is just an oversight in the headcount and they will be found safely. :(

[ATLfuzzy]

ouch, this is scary. Lets hope my captain stays clear of the rocks this August. I hope those two are safe somewhere......

 

Seems they had a fairly organized/brisk evacuation though?

[Dolphins]

I wonder why so many passengers had to descend rope ladders? Why weren't they evacuated in the lifeboats?

[soooo excited!]

on our news last night: two groups of school kids are on that cruise - nerve wracking enough for adults to handle, imagine high school students and their chaperones, and the nervous parents back home awaiting news; not their idea of a spring break holiday.

 

As well, it was reported that "many left the ship without luggage, passports, and money" - how do you contine your vacation? Hope everyone can make it back home safely.

[Scott Cyn]

... it was reported that "many left the ship without luggage, passports, and money" - how do you contine your vacation? ...

 

I had been thinking the same thing as I watched the video of the passengers being evacuated. We absolutely loved Santorini and it was amazing to watch those people stepping off the launches onto the dock wearing their lifejackets. I noticed none of them were carrying any personal possessions and I thought about how scary it would be to have to leave all that behind.

 

But then the ship sank, with a reported loss of life. And all of a sudden, I'll bet you don't care much about your camera.....or your passport....or your Ipod, all of which were in your cabin. Because now you're incredibly grateful just to be alive. Wow.

[florisdekort]

Media are now reporting two passengers died, a 45 year old Frenchman and his 16 year old daughter. The ship sank this morning CET... :(

[tom_uk]

The initial reports seem perhaps to have been a little too casual. The two people who are missing (may have died) were apparently trapped in their cabin by rising water; there are reports that another two people with them (the man's wife & other child) somehow had to swim out of their cabin.

 

I have a feeling that the ship's senior officers had a very good idea as to how it was going to end pretty much as soon as she went on the rocks. They seem to have moved her close to the tender-port below Thira to make the rescue easier, and then back out to deeper water where she could sink 'safely'.

[dutchess43]

What a shame that this happened & caused people to loose their lives. I for one will take the muster drill more seriously after this incident. Instead of joking at how silly we look in our life jackets I now will respect them.

[Andy]

Hi Everyone !

 

Very sad news indeed. It is unfortunate that initial reports said all were safe. While I am very sorry to hear that 2 passengers may have been lost, thank goodness everyone else is safe. It is tragic events like this, that beg for everyone to take the Muster Drill seriously.

[Ine]

It seems strange that a Greek captain (the lines is Greek) hits rocks in the - as he knows - sea filled crater of Santorini. Unless it is mechanical of course.

For those passengers it must have been horrible hours.

[C 2 C]

I was amazed how close to shore the ship came before it sank. Here is Galaxy at Santorini last May.

[usavvy2]

oh my, how tragic. First reports alluded to an evacuation but I thought everyone and their belongings would be transferred off. I'm shocked that this ship took on water so quickly and endangered so many lives.

 

About 8 years ago we were booked on the Monarch of the Seas but it hit a reef in the Caribbean 3 weeks before our scheduled departure. Everyone was offered to rebook later or substitute X or Windstar. And that's how we became X Captains' Club members!

 

Anyway, here's a pix of the Millie off Santorini in Sept. '05.

[Dolphins]

Late news reports this evening described the reef as well known, clearly marked and on all the charts? Inconceivable.