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Coast Guard: Passenger's Mom, Not Captain, Called After Cruise Ship Tipped

Adult, Child Critically Injured

POSTED: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
UPDATED: 5:41 pm EDT July 19,2006

The Coast Guard says the first warning to authorities that a Crown Princess cruise ship had tilted to one side came not from the captain, but from the mother of a passenger who called her mom on a cell phone.

The Coast Guard said it immediately tried to contact the ship after getting the telephone call but couldn't get through for 10 minutes.

Coast Guard officials said it's not uncommon for a captain to first assess the situation and ensure the ship's stability before contacting authorities.

The captain submitted to drug and alcohol tests as standard procedure. The alcohol results came back negative. More time is needed for results on the drug test.

Dozens Injured When Ships Tilts

Officials said Wednesday that almost 100 people were transported to hospitals after a massive cruise ship tipped to its side off the Florida coast Wednesday.

All 3,100 passengers and 1,200 crewmembers of the Crown Princess have been accounted for.

At least 20 people suffered serious injuries, including a child and an adult with injuries considered critical.

A Princess Cruises spokeswoman said all but three passengers and two crewmembers have been released. Details about their injuries have not been released, but officials said they are expected to make a full recovery.

About 240 passengers were treated onboard for minor injuries.

The ship was about 11 miles southeast of Port Canaveral en route to New York late when its crew reported problems with the steering equipment. The ship listed hard to one side, then slowly came back up and headed for the port.

Sarah Feingold, a passenger on the ship, told Local 10 that passengers were thrown to the floor and into walls, items went flying off shelves, and furniture was smashed. She said the water was dumped out of the pools and there was broken glass all over the ship.

Feingold said it was a chaotic time, with parents and children crying and passengers unable to locate their family and friends. She said that she believes the cruise line initially underestimated the seriousness of the injuries.

Feingold said that the cruise ship officers tried to keep people calm, and as the ship returned to port, they were even promising dinner and entertainment as usual.

Stan Payne, CEO of the Canaveral Port Authority, said the cruise line was asking passengers to stay on the ship until arrangements for their lodging could be made, but they were able to leave if they wanted. Customs officials were expected to arrive at 5 a.m. Wednesday to start processing passengers, authorities said.

The ship is owned by Princess Cruises, one of 12 brands operated by Miami-based Carnival Corp. The company said it was investigating the roll's cause.

The Coast Guard planned to inspect the ship Wednesday.

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