A large cruise ship had run aground off the Caribbean island nation’s north coast shortly after leaving the port of Puerto Plata.
According to local media, the Norwegian Escape was on its way to the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, before making its way to the Bahamas.
More specifically, the ship departed Port Canaveral on Saturday, March 12 for a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean. There were some 3,000 tourists and 1,600 crew on board. The ship was built in Germany and delivered in 2015.
"For the moment, there is no risk for passengers or crew members," said yesterday Vice Admiral Ramon Gustavo Betances Hernandez adding also that the ship had run aground due to “strong 30 knot winds.”
"The tide in this area rises about 1 metre (3 feet) at four in the morning (08:00 GMT). We think that with the high tide, we can get the boat out of its current position", the vice-admiral said. He noted that tugs had already been working in order to free the vessel, adding, also, that additional tugs would soon be arriving to help in the effort.
People were posting photos on the internet showing the tug boats that were alongside the ship.
According to the US-based Norwegian Cruise Line’s website, the Norwegian Escape is nearly 326 metres long (1,070 feet) and weighs 165,000 tonnes. It can accommodate as many as 4,200 passengers and 1,700 crew members.
Source: Safety4sea
