Island Star Damaged by Waves September 27, 2007

Island Cruises Capitan of Island Star Orders Passengers Abandon Ship After Losing Power in Storm Ravaged Heavy Seas

With a heavy population of aging passengers onboard, the captain of the Island Star, owned by Island Cruise, which was being tossed in heavy storm ravaged seas, made a decision for everyone to abandon ship when the power went out and control of the vessel was lost.

Many of the 1,473 passengers panicked when the ship’s captain gave the order to abandon ship off the coast of Nice.

He explained over the ship’s Tannoy system that he was not prepared to risk their or his crew’s safety.

Passengers were lowered into lifeboats during heavy seas of a tropical storm and feared for their lives and the captain had crew lower passengers and their luggage into the lifeboats.

The captain attempted to get the power back up, but it failed again, plunging the ship into darkness as the engines came to halt.

Everyone was soaked to the skin during the evacuation and some passengers were injured. Others say they became sick after the evacuation in the rain and wind.

One passenger said the ship had first experienced engine and power problems as it left Genoa, one of the stops on Island Cruises’ Mediterranean Explorer Cruise.

Passengers realized something was wrong when the power failed and all the lights went out.

A meeting in the ship’s theater was held after the captain announced an evacuation. The cruise line initially offered a 60% refund to all passengers, but the captain said Island Cruises had agreed to issue a full refund.

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