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| Crippled Carnival Triumph cruise ship reaches US coast | Crippled Carnival Triumph cruise ship reaches US coast |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 4,000 people are disembarking from a crippled cruise ship that reached land four days after an engine fire knocked out its power. | More than 4,000 people are disembarking from a crippled cruise ship that reached land four days after an engine fire knocked out its power. |
| The Carnival Triumph was towed into port in Mobile, Alabama on Wednesday. | The Carnival Triumph was towed into port in Mobile, Alabama on Wednesday. |
| Unloading all 3,200 passengers is expected to take hours. Food, blankets and mobile phones await them in the terminal, a Carnival official has said. | Unloading all 3,200 passengers is expected to take hours. Food, blankets and mobile phones await them in the terminal, a Carnival official has said. |
| Passengers had reported sewage on the floors, poor sanitation and access to toilets, and lengthy queues for food. | Passengers had reported sewage on the floors, poor sanitation and access to toilets, and lengthy queues for food. |
| Some lined the decks as the 900-ft (275m) ship docked, waving and cheering at people on shore. | Some lined the decks as the 900-ft (275m) ship docked, waving and cheering at people on shore. |
| Chants of "Let me off, let me off!" could be heard coming from the ship as they waited to disembark. | Chants of "Let me off, let me off!" could be heard coming from the ship as they waited to disembark. |
| Carnival Corp which operates the ship, was also the owner of Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that ran aground off the Italian coast and sank last year, killing 32 people. | Carnival Corp which operates the ship, was also the owner of Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that ran aground off the Italian coast and sank last year, killing 32 people. |
| 'Nightmare' | 'Nightmare' |
| After the ship reached port at around 21:15 (03:15 GMT), Carnival Corp said it would take as long as five hours to get all the passengers off. They have already been cleared by customs officials. | After the ship reached port at around 21:15 (03:15 GMT), Carnival Corp said it would take as long as five hours to get all the passengers off. They have already been cleared by customs officials. |
| On disembarking passenger, Clark Jones, told the BBC the last day was particularly hard as tugs took several hours to tow the stricken ship the last few miles to port. | |
| "Today has been especially nightmarish because we knew we were so close to land and getting off," he told the BBC. | |
| Once passengers are off the ship, they will be taken by bus either to Galveston, Texas, which is about seven hours away, or to New Orleans, where the firm said it booked 1,500 hotel rooms. New Orleans is two hours away. | |
| Hospitality staff will be sent on early holiday with full pay or transferred to other ships, depending on the length remaining in their contracts, Carnival Senior Vice-President Terry Thornton told reporters. | Hospitality staff will be sent on early holiday with full pay or transferred to other ships, depending on the length remaining in their contracts, Carnival Senior Vice-President Terry Thornton told reporters. |
| Passenger Janie Baker told NBC by phone on Thursday that conditions on the ship were "extremely terrible''. There was no electricity and few working toilets, she said. | Passenger Janie Baker told NBC by phone on Thursday that conditions on the ship were "extremely terrible''. There was no electricity and few working toilets, she said. |
| Ms Baker described using plastic bags to go to the toilet and that she had seen a woman pass out while waiting for food. | Ms Baker described using plastic bags to go to the toilet and that she had seen a woman pass out while waiting for food. |
| The stench from overflowing toilets and drainpipes made some cabins uninhabitable and many people slept in corridors while others took bedding out into the open to escape the heat and foul smell. | The stench from overflowing toilets and drainpipes made some cabins uninhabitable and many people slept in corridors while others took bedding out into the open to escape the heat and foul smell. |
| Past mechanical problems | Past mechanical problems |
| Ms Baker said she and her friends slept with their life vests one night because the ship was listing. | Ms Baker said she and her friends slept with their life vests one night because the ship was listing. |
| Passengers will be offered a full refund and discounts on future cruises. Carnival announced on Wednesday they would each get an additional $500 (£322) in compensation. | Passengers will be offered a full refund and discounts on future cruises. Carnival announced on Wednesday they would each get an additional $500 (£322) in compensation. |
| But the firm has disputed the accounts describing the ship as filthy, saying employees were doing everything they could to ensure people were comfortable. | But the firm has disputed the accounts describing the ship as filthy, saying employees were doing everything they could to ensure people were comfortable. |
| Carnival has cancelled more than a dozen planned voyages aboard the Triumph, while acknowledging that the crippled ship had other mechanical problems in the weeks before the fire. | Carnival has cancelled more than a dozen planned voyages aboard the Triumph, while acknowledging that the crippled ship had other mechanical problems in the weeks before the fire. |
| Spokesman Vance Gulliksen said Triumph had an earlier electrical problem with the ship's alternator but that repairs were completed by 2 February. He said there was no evidence linking the previous problem to Sunday's fire. | Spokesman Vance Gulliksen said Triumph had an earlier electrical problem with the ship's alternator but that repairs were completed by 2 February. He said there was no evidence linking the previous problem to Sunday's fire. |
| The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the fire. | The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the fire. |
| No-one was injured in the blaze, but one passenger with a pre-existing medical condition was taken off the ship as a precaution. | No-one was injured in the blaze, but one passenger with a pre-existing medical condition was taken off the ship as a precaution. |
| Are you on the Carnival Triumph? Do you know anyone aboard? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you on the Carnival Triumph? Do you know anyone aboard? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |