Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Blog
Late last week, on its approach to the Faroe Islands port of Klaksvik, Royal Caribbean cruise ship Jewel of the Seas struck an aerial cable that links the Islands of Bordoy and Eysturoy. The ship’s mast was damaged, and a crew member was heavily battered by falling debris. The cause of the Jewel of the Seas accident has yet to be determined, but an investigation, now pending in consultation with local authorities, will inevitably attempt to identify any faulty decisions or operating procedures that led not only to the cable collision, but also to the dislodging of items that ultimately struck the vulnerable crew member. Maritime accident law will then govern any damage claims that are pursued.
Anticipating questions about possible navigation error, Florida-based Royal Caribbean International issued a statement, reported in the September 6, 2012 edition of USA Today, insisting that all available navigation information, including information received from the Klaksvik harbor master, had pointed to the ship’s clear passage under the cable. This assertion, however, is not likely to put navigational concerns to rest, coming only months after the fatal grounding of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which, it is now known, was triggered by disastrously bad navigation decisions.