‘Care team’ arrives to help stricken vessel’s passengers

A “care team” from Costa Cruises has reached stranded passengers – including 14 Canadians – on an Italian cruise ship damaged by an engine-room fire, the company said, as those on board faced a third day without power on the vessel in the Indian Ocean.

The team boarded the ship Wednesday and met with passengers to assess their needs as they get ready to disembark early Thursday, said Buck Banks, spokesperson for Miami-based Carnival Corp., the Costa Allegra’s parent company.

According to Banks, nine marines are on board the ship to help with security.

The Trévignon, a French deep sea tuna trawler dwarfed by the liner, is pulling the Costa Allegra along at a speed of six knots.

A military aircraft is also flying in support of the operation.

A small generator had been transferred onto the crippled vessel, but was only powerful enough to run its auxiliary communication system, not the air conditioning or cooking systems, Adeline said.

“The ship crew is doing everything possible to make the situation on board more comfortable trying to restore basic services on board,” Costa Cruises said.

With no lights working on board, the company said it had dropped hundreds of flashlights onto the ship to help at night.

Out of 627 passengers, 376 have accepted Costa Cruises’ proposal to continue vacationing in the Seychelles: 241 will be staying for two weeks while 135 have opted for one week, the company said.

The company said it will be pick- ing up the tab to accommodate guests at “high-quality hotels” on four Seychelles Islands: Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette and Cerfs.

Costa Cruises will arrange the flights of the remaining 251 guests who will depart the Seychelles on Thursday evening.

Banks told Postmedia News a satellite phone was delivered by helicopter on Tuesday to the ship’s captain to help co-ordinate towing of the ship to Mahé, the main island of the Seychelles, which was expected to conclude by 1 a.m. Thursday.