Cruise ship detained over safety breaches

A luxury cruise liner has been detained in Waterford after Marine Inspectors found it had breached a string of safety rules, it was confirmed today.

Around 170 passengers on board the Seabourn Pride were told they would have to remain in the city until the ship’s crew cleaned up the engine room and removed several fire risks.

Marine Inspectors visited the vessel yesterday and said the engine room was in an awful state. It is understood a number of fire hazards had been identified with the floor covered in oil and proper procedures being ignored.

A spokesman for the Department of the Marine said: “It was inspected by Irish Marine inspectors yesterday in Waterford and they found the safety deficiencies have not been rectified and they detained the ship.”

The liner is registered in the Bahamas and had sailed from the United Kingdom to Waterford en route to the east coast of America. British inspectors checked the ship before it took to sea on Tuesday, a number of faults were highlighted but it was allowed to sail.

On arrival in Waterford Marine Inspectors boarded the vessel and reported the series of safety concerns had not been rectified.

Officials in the Bahamas have been informed and Seabourn, the owners of the liner, have been told that it will not be allowed out of port until the engine room has been cleaned up.

The Seabourn Pride made its maiden voyage in November 1988 and underwent a major refurbishment two years ago.