Paddle wheeler runs aground

What is it with royalty in the North ? Here is story from CTV news of a pocket cruiser running aground in Icy Straits, near the native village of Hoonah, in southern Alaska. Nice area but I do believe its pretty tight between shoals and rocks. I was there with RCCL, we had to drop anchor quite a ways away then tender in. Very pretty spot though, with a renovated cannery (my picture below) and interesting commercial fishing displays.

Majestic press release is brief and goes like this…

“Majestic America Line announced that the vessel Empress of the North was involved in a grounding incident in South East Alaska at 1:40 am local time approximately 50 miles from Juneau. There are no injuries reported. All guests were safely transferred to an Alaska state ferry for transportation to Juneau where arrangements to accommodate them have been made.”

Martin

Passengers OK after Alaskan cruise ship evacuated
Mon. May. 14 2007, CTV.ca News Staff

A cruise ship carrying 281 people was successfully evacuated after it ran aground off the coast of Alaska Monday.

The 109-metre Empress of the North collided with a rock at the southern end of the Icy Strait — 25 kilometres southwest of Juneau.

Chief Petty Officer Barry Lane told The Associated Press that the vessel, with 29 crew members still aboard, was now heading back toward Juneau.

“The story is shaping up for the good,” Lane said. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Petty Officer Christopher McLaughlin told AP that a plane and helicopter were dispatched after an emergency radio call came in at 12:35 a.m. on Monday.

A commercial tug and barge and about 40 other vessels — including fishing boats and other cruise ships — assisted in rescuing the passengers.

The Empress of the North has 112 staterooms and a three-storey paddlewheel. Majestic America is operated as a division of Ambassadors Cruise Group.

The grounding occurred on the second day of a seven-day cruise.

With files from The Associated Press