Unlucky cruise ship Carnival Triumph will be taking a trip to the body shop for repairs to a 20-ft gash in its side.
The ship, in dock after an engine room fire in February, broke free from its moorings yesterday during a freak storm. It drifted out of control in winds gusting to 70mph and more before colliding with a cargo vessel.
None of the 600 crew and 200 contractors on board were injured. However, a quayside shack housing two security guards was blown into the water. One man was rescued, but the second is missing.
Carnival Triumph is in the BAe Systems shipyard at Mobile, Alabama following the blaze which left it drifting without power during a Caribbean cruise. Carnival Cruises had also announced that additional engineering work was to be carried out to provide further back-up in case of any future emergencies.
A pier was damaged when Triumph bumped into it, and the ship finally came to rest against a cargo vessel downriver.
Damage is visible at the stern, about half way up the hull from the waterline (above). Railings on two decks are also broken.
A Carnival spokesman described the damage as “modest.”
Triumph’s 16-week overhaul has already led to the cancellation of 24 cruises. The ship is scheduled to return to service on June 3.
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