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CNN Live Sunday
Caribbean Cruise Ends in Tragedy
Aired May 25, 2003 - 16:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A Caribbean cruise ended in tragedy today in Miami. An explosion deep inside the SS Norway took the lives of three crewmembers and caused extra concern, given that the nation is under a high terrorist alert. But authorities stress the blast was an accident. Here's CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An engine room steam boiler blew up an hour after the SS Norway docked in Miami, following a week-long Caribbean cruise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no indication whatsoever that there is any criminal activity. There is no evidence of any sabotage ...
CANDIOTTI: Some passengers say they heard at least three explosions. This woman was on deck when she was startled by the first.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went back to the cabin. I could smell fuel. Then there was two more explosions. Then I really went out of the cabin and said -- looked over the shore, then there was the police, coast guard, and stuff. They was coming on the boat.
CANDIOTTI: The ship's crew in the boiler room and just outside it on the bottom deck suffered the brunt of the blast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The worst place to be would have been in the immediate vicinity of that escaping high pressure, very high temperature steam.
CANDIOTTI: The intense heat severely burned crewmembers. The explosion so powerful, it blew some of the crew outside an opened cargo door. Four propelled into the water and rescued by rope. No passengers were injured, but had a hard time finding out what happened in the moments after the explosion. This man just woke up in his cabin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard the bang and we just got out of there and went to the lifeboat.
CANDIOTTI: No lifeboats necessary. Passengers were escorted off the ship and waited for transportation home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Norway is a steam ship. And this was one of the boilers that creates the steam for the steam power.
CANDIOTTI: The ship has been sailing for more than 40 years. Norwegian Cruise Line bills it as the longest passenger ship in service. It has had at least one major renovation. The cruise line says its boilers are regularly maintained.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. For passengers on this cruise, an unexpected ending to their vacation. For those scheduled to leave tonight on the Norway's next vacation cruise, well, they're out of luck. There's no telling when the ship will be sailing next. And the Norway had to meet those incoming passengers to try to make other arrangements for them -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti from Miami, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 25, 2003 - 16:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A Caribbean cruise ended in tragedy today in Miami. An explosion deep inside the SS Norway took the lives of three crewmembers and caused extra concern, given that the nation is under a high terrorist alert. But authorities stress the blast was an accident. Here's CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An engine room steam boiler blew up an hour after the SS Norway docked in Miami, following a week-long Caribbean cruise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no indication whatsoever that there is any criminal activity. There is no evidence of any sabotage ...
CANDIOTTI: Some passengers say they heard at least three explosions. This woman was on deck when she was startled by the first.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went back to the cabin. I could smell fuel. Then there was two more explosions. Then I really went out of the cabin and said -- looked over the shore, then there was the police, coast guard, and stuff. They was coming on the boat.
CANDIOTTI: The ship's crew in the boiler room and just outside it on the bottom deck suffered the brunt of the blast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The worst place to be would have been in the immediate vicinity of that escaping high pressure, very high temperature steam.
CANDIOTTI: The intense heat severely burned crewmembers. The explosion so powerful, it blew some of the crew outside an opened cargo door. Four propelled into the water and rescued by rope. No passengers were injured, but had a hard time finding out what happened in the moments after the explosion. This man just woke up in his cabin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard the bang and we just got out of there and went to the lifeboat.
CANDIOTTI: No lifeboats necessary. Passengers were escorted off the ship and waited for transportation home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Norway is a steam ship. And this was one of the boilers that creates the steam for the steam power.
CANDIOTTI: The ship has been sailing for more than 40 years. Norwegian Cruise Line bills it as the longest passenger ship in service. It has had at least one major renovation. The cruise line says its boilers are regularly maintained.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. For passengers on this cruise, an unexpected ending to their vacation. For those scheduled to leave tonight on the Norway's next vacation cruise, well, they're out of luck. There's no telling when the ship will be sailing next. And the Norway had to meet those incoming passengers to try to make other arrangements for them -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti from Miami, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
