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‘INSIGNIA’ REMAINS IN PORT

The INSIGNIA in Castries Port.
The INSIGNIA in Castries Port.

THE cruise ship Insignia is still berthed at Port Castries, five days after a fire in one of its engine rooms resulted in three deaths and forced the evacuation of its 650 guests and most of its 400 crew members.

Jason Lasecki , senior director at Oceania Cruises based in Miami, Florida yesterday told The VOICE that a technical team is presently on the ground assessing the situation.

It is still unclear when the ship will sail from Castries however reports are that the U.S. Coast Guard will help investigate the fire. The Coast Guard will be sending four marine safety professionals to help with the probe. Also helping are officials from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

The fire broke out on board the vessel shortly after it docked in Saint Lucia last Thursday morning.

Dead are one crew member and two contractors. Initial reports stated that the dead were all crew members. Another crew member was kept overnight for observation at Victoria Hospital as a result of smoke inhalation, and has since been discharged.

Oceania Cruises, the company that manages the ship, confirmed that the three deceased were working in the ship’s engine room.

Insignia was on a 10-day cruise which departed San Juan, Puerto Rico on December 7, and was scheduled to arrive in Miami tomorrow.

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