Video Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard
Videographer: Petty Officer Chris Caskey
JUNEAU, Alaska - All 248 passengers and 33 crew of the grounded cruise ship Empress of the North returned safely to Juneau on 14th May, at approximately 10:30 a.m.
JUNEAU, Alaska (May 14, 2007)--Passengers from the Cruise Ship Empress of the North being offloaded onto the Coast Guard Cutter Liberty and civilian vessels after running aground at approximately 2:00 a.m.. The Liberty took on 130 of the 248 passengers before offloading them onto the Alaska State Ferry Columbia, which transported them back to the city of Juneau.
(Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Chris Caskey)
The Empress of the North was able to refloat and return to Juneau under its own power shortly after transferring all passengers and crew to the Alaska Marine Highway ferry vessel Columbia.
The Coast Guard escorted the Empress of the North to Auke Bay where Coast Guard marine inspectors surveyed the damage. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently en route to Juneau to conduct its own investigation of the incident in parallel to the Coast Guard's casualty investigation.
It was a pollution free evacuation and no injuries were reported.
Family members of passengers may call 1-800-434-1232 for more information.
