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| Carnival cruise ship docks in Alabama after 'inhuman' ordeal at sea | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The cruise ship Carnival Triumph has been towed into the port of Mobile, Alabama, after spending days adrift in the Gulf of Mexico due to an engine room fire that knocked out power, left its sewerage system broken and created what passengers called hellish conditions. | The cruise ship Carnival Triumph has been towed into the port of Mobile, Alabama, after spending days adrift in the Gulf of Mexico due to an engine room fire that knocked out power, left its sewerage system broken and created what passengers called hellish conditions. |
| More than 4,200 people on board the 893ft (272 metre) Triumph were told they might have to wait several hours before disembarking after reaching Mobile. Passengers waved towels and flashlights from the railings to show their relief. | More than 4,200 people on board the 893ft (272 metre) Triumph were told they might have to wait several hours before disembarking after reaching Mobile. Passengers waved towels and flashlights from the railings to show their relief. |
| Tugboats pulled the Carnival Triumph into port in a drama that played out live on US cable news stations, creating another public relations nightmare for cruise giant Carnival Corp. Last year its Costa Concordia luxury ship grounded and capsized off the coast of Italy, with 32 people killed. Over the last four days Triumph passengers had described an overpowering stench on parts of the ship. After the fire, toilets and drainpipes overflowed, soaking many cabins and interior passages in sewage. "Just imagine the filth," said a passenger, Jacob Combs. "It was inhuman." | Tugboats pulled the Carnival Triumph into port in a drama that played out live on US cable news stations, creating another public relations nightmare for cruise giant Carnival Corp. Last year its Costa Concordia luxury ship grounded and capsized off the coast of Italy, with 32 people killed. Over the last four days Triumph passengers had described an overpowering stench on parts of the ship. After the fire, toilets and drainpipes overflowed, soaking many cabins and interior passages in sewage. "Just imagine the filth," said a passenger, Jacob Combs. "It was inhuman." |
| During the drama at sea passengers contacted relatives and media before their phone batteries ran out to say people were getting sick and passengers had been told to use plastic biohazard bags as makeshift toilets. | During the drama at sea passengers contacted relatives and media before their phone batteries ran out to say people were getting sick and passengers had been told to use plastic biohazard bags as makeshift toilets. |
| Smoke from the engine fire was so thick that people on the lower decks in the rear of the ship had to be permanently evacuated and slept the rest of the voyage on the decks under sheets, passengers said. | Smoke from the engine fire was so thick that people on the lower decks in the rear of the ship had to be permanently evacuated and slept the rest of the voyage on the decks under sheets, passengers said. |
| Operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, the flagship brand of Carnival Corp, the ship left Galveston a week ago carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew. It was supposed to return there on Monday. | Operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, the flagship brand of Carnival Corp, the ship left Galveston a week ago carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew. It was supposed to return there on Monday. |
| A coast guard cutter escorted the Triumph on its long voyage into port since Monday and a coast guard helicopter ferried about 1,360kg (3,000lb) of equipment including a generator to the stricken ship late on Wednesday. | A coast guard cutter escorted the Triumph on its long voyage into port since Monday and a coast guard helicopter ferried about 1,360kg (3,000lb) of equipment including a generator to the stricken ship late on Wednesday. |
| Terry Thornton, a Carnival Cruise Lines senior vice-president, said additional provisions had been taken to the ship and by Wednesday it was "in excellent shape". Passenger Donna Gutzman said those aboard the ship were treated to steak and lobster for lunch on Thursday afternoon. "Our basic needs are being met. For the most part they are making us happy," Gutzman told CNN. A senior Carnival official said it could take up to five hours to remove all the passengers from the ship, which was left with only one functioning elevator. Carnival said it would greet the passengers with warm food, blankets and cellphones. Once off the ship many passengers still faced a lengthy journey ahead. More than 100 buses were lined up waiting to drive them 490 miles (790km) back to Galveston, Texas, while others elected to stay overnight in hotels in Mobile before flying home, Carnival said. | Terry Thornton, a Carnival Cruise Lines senior vice-president, said additional provisions had been taken to the ship and by Wednesday it was "in excellent shape". Passenger Donna Gutzman said those aboard the ship were treated to steak and lobster for lunch on Thursday afternoon. "Our basic needs are being met. For the most part they are making us happy," Gutzman told CNN. A senior Carnival official said it could take up to five hours to remove all the passengers from the ship, which was left with only one functioning elevator. Carnival said it would greet the passengers with warm food, blankets and cellphones. Once off the ship many passengers still faced a lengthy journey ahead. More than 100 buses were lined up waiting to drive them 490 miles (790km) back to Galveston, Texas, while others elected to stay overnight in hotels in Mobile before flying home, Carnival said. |
| The Carnival Cruise Lines chief executive, Gerry Cahill, said that apart from other measures the company had decided to add further payment of $500 each to help compensate for "very challenging circumstances" on board. "We are very sorry for what our guests have had to endure," Cahill said. | The Carnival Cruise Lines chief executive, Gerry Cahill, said that apart from other measures the company had decided to add further payment of $500 each to help compensate for "very challenging circumstances" on board. "We are very sorry for what our guests have had to endure," Cahill said. |
| The Triumph is a Bahamian-flagged vessel and the Bahamas Maritime Authority will be the primary agency investigating the cause of its engine room fire. Earlier this month Carnival repaired an electrical issue on one of the Triumph's alternators. The company said there was no evidence of any connection between the repair and the fire. | The Triumph is a Bahamian-flagged vessel and the Bahamas Maritime Authority will be the primary agency investigating the cause of its engine room fire. Earlier this month Carnival repaired an electrical issue on one of the Triumph's alternators. The company said there was no evidence of any connection between the repair and the fire. |