Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Cruise Ship Crashes Into Dock

By Mark Edward Nero


The cruise ship Celebrity Infinity allided with the no. 3 berth at the cruise ship dock in Ketchikan, Alaska on the afternoon of June 3, according to the US Coast Guard, which is investigating the incident.

No injuries to passengers or crewmembers were reported, but the ship sustained minor damage, including a several-foot gash in the hull. The berth also sustained minor damage, including to at least two of its three mooring dolphins.

The damage to the Celebrity Cruises vessel was welded the same day and the ship was allowed to leave for its final destination, Vancouver, British Columbia.

“The Coast Guard is grateful no one was injured as a result of this accident,” Lt. Dianna Robinson, the command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector Juneau, said in a statement. “Our personnel are working to determine the cause of this accident and will work with local partners to ensure the continued safety of those using the cruise ship docks.”

The ship’s pilot notified watch standers at the Sector Juneau command center after the accident, which occurred between 2 and 2:30 pm.

The Celebrity Infinity, which was inaugurated in March 2001, is a 91,000-ton cruise ship with a length of 965 feet and a beam of 105 feet. It has a occupancy capacity of 2,170 people.

Weather on scene was reported to be gusting at 45-miles per hour and the weather may have played a part in the accident. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to Coast Guard spokesman Shawn Eggert.

A two-minute video of the allision that was recorded by an eyewitness can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEPNfLmcUO0