Carnival Triumph has taken another hit, literally. The troubled cruise ship received a 20-foot gash around the stern area after it broke loose from the dock at a repair yard in Mobile., Ala.
According to USA Today, the gash is visible about halfway up the hull from the water. Below the gash are two levels of broken and dangling railings.
Strong winds caused the troubled ship to break loose from the port in Alabama where it was undergoing repairs following an engine room fire that disabled the ship in February.
Despite the additional damage, Carnival says it wasn't severe and will not impact the time-frame for repairs.
"While assessment of damage to the ship is ongoing, initial indications suggest the damage is limited," the line says in a statement sent to USA TODAY.
Yesterday, Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen confirmed that the ship got loose but he didn't know if anyone was hurt in the incident. CNN reported that a man went missing when the ship broke loose from the dock in Mobile, Alabama. According to a city fire department official, the missing man and another person were in a guard shack that was blown into the Mobile River.
According to the Coast Guard, the missing person was a worker on the Carnival Triumph. Yet Carnival spokeswoman Joyce Oliva said all of the workers and crew were accounted for.
"The ship drifted and is currently resting against a cargo vessel. Tug boats and the U.S. Coast Guard are on site," Gulliksen said, according to Reuters.
The ship was docked at Mobile and undergoing repairs following an engine fire which left the shift adrift in the Gulf of Mexico in February. More than 4,000 passenger on board were subject to horrendous conditions including overflowing toilets, limited food and no air conditioning, for five days as the ship was pulled to the port.
Officials blame high winds on causing the ship to come loose. According to weather reports, gusts reached between 40 and 50 miles per hour on Wednesday.
In late March, Carnival said the ship would be out of commission until June 3. Carnival said this date will not be extended despite the latest incident. Carnival has canceled 24 trips for the ship.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
