Luxury liner impounded after failing inspection

MORE than 150 passengers and as many crew remained stranded on board their grounded luxury cruise liner last night after the vessel was impounded by marine inspectors.

The Department of the Marine has grounded the Seabourn Pride in Waterford City after it failed a safety inspection. Serious defects were found in the liner’s engine room by Department of the Marine officials. The vessel will not be allowed sail until all the faults have been rectified.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation, which represents the ship’s crew, said the ship was allowed to sail from Britain to Ireland on Tuesday, despite faults being detected in the engine room by British marine officials. It wants an investigation into why the ship with 300 people on board was allowed to sail.