Louis Lines 'Aquamarine' holed and heading to port for urgent inspection

**Ally** · 05-08-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Authorities say a Greek cruise ship carrying more than 1,200 people is heading to an Aegean Sea island for an emergency inspection after its hull was damaged.

The Ministry of Merchant Marine says the Aquamarine cruise liner is headed to the island of Milos after it suffered a 5-foot (1.5-meter) gash above the water line Thursday.

A ministry spokesman said the 872 passengers and 407 crew were not in any danger.

Greek cruise ship hull damaged, emergency inspection ordered

**Ally** · 05-08-2008, 10:12 AM

'Aquamarine'...she was 'Arielle' up until the end of her charter with Transocean.

**Ally** · 05-08-2008, 10:20 AM

Quote:

ATHENS, Greece: A Greek cruise ship carrying more than 1,200 people headed for an Aegean island Thursday for an emergency inspection after its hull was damaged, officials said.

The Ministry of Merchant Marine said the cruise liner Aquamarine had a 1.5-meter (5-foot) gash above the water line and was heading for the island of Milos at reduced speed.

Ministry spokesman Andreas Theofilou said the 872 passengers and 407 crew were not in any danger.

"There is no question regarding the safety of the ship or the people on board," he said.

Theofilou said the Aquamarine's captain informed ministry officials that the cruise ship scraped against a pier when sailing from its port of departure of Iraklio, Crete. The crew later inspected the hull and found the damage.

"The ship has reduced speed and is expected to reach Milos in half an hour," Theofilou said.

The Aquamarine had been heading for the resort island of Santorini.

Greek cruise ship damaged, officials say 1,200 on board safe - International Herald Tribune

**Ally** · 05-08-2008, 11:49 AM

Quote:

A Greek cruise ship carrying more than 1,200 passengers and crew was ordered to make an emergency stop on the Aegean island of Milos after discovering a large crack in its hull, Greece's Merchant Marine Ministry said.

The crack, which is above sea level, was discovered after the ship left the island of Crete for a cruise of the Aegean with 872 Greek and foreign passengers and about 400 crew, it said.

"The Greek-flagged ship had left the Cretan port of Herakleion at 11 (0800 GMT) when shortly afterwards the crew heard a loud noise and discovered a 1 metre-by 30 centimetre hole on the side of the vessel, about 2.5 metres above the water level," a ministry official, who requested anonymity, told Reuters on Thursday.

He said all aboard were in good health.

"The weather is pretty good and the ship is only half an hour away from the island of Milos where passengers will be taken off and inspectors will look at the damage."

This is the second incident involving a Greek cruise ship since the start of the year. Another vessel ran aground in March.

Last year, a cruise ship sank off the island of Santorini after hitting a reef near the port. Two French people went missing and are presumed dead.

Javno - World

neil · 05-09-2008, 04:41 AM

Hi

On the AIS system for Piraeus, the ' Aquamarine ' is shown as having arrived in Piraeus this morning.

It was reported that the crack was well above the water line and she was not leaking.

' Aquamarine ' was built in 1971, at Helsinki, for RCL Cruises as the ' Nordic Prince '.
She was lengthened by 85 feet in 1980

Her sister ship is the ex ' Song of Norway ' which was recently bought by the Clipper Group.

She has been re-fitted and is now chartered to the Japanese Peace Movement and will be sailing shortly as the ' Clipper Pacific ' for this organization.

Neil

**Ally** · 05-09-2008, 04:45 AM

Louis are getting very careless with their ships. Not sure where they get their bridge officers from but its almost getting to the stage where each time a ship is in trouble in or around the Greek Islands, its a case of 'now what has Louis done'...maybe its time that the Greek authorities stepped in and checked the qualifications of the officers.

neil · 05-09-2008, 06:16 PM

Hi

Aquamarine appears to have been repaired as she sailed tonight from Piraeus to Rhodes.

A picture of the damage to her stern is below.

Neil

**Ally** · 05-10-2008, 03:31 AM

Now that damage is similar to an RCI ship a few yrs ago. Can't remember which one...maybe Grandeur of the Seas, perhaps.

**Ally** · 05-10-2008, 04:15 AM

Quote:

The captain of the Aquamarine ferry, which sustained damage to its hull on Thursday with more than 1,200 people on board, was released yesterday and will not face charges over the incident, sources said. The vessel, which docked at Piraeus yesterday, was damaged while departing from the Cretan port of Iraklion after scraping against a pier. The Aquamarine belongs to the Louis Group which owns the Sea Diamond, a cruise liner that sank off Santorini last year after hitting a reef.

ekathimerini.com | In Brief

quizzer · 06-03-2008, 03:03 PM

Hi Guys i'm pretty sure The Aquamarine was also the Airtours Carousel .which my wife and I cruised on in 2004.last year my boss cruised on the Aquamarine out of Tilbury docks.i took great pleasure in letting him know
"I was there first" Kind regards Quizzer