2 dead in Cruise Ship fire in Norway

[anniegb]

BBC News - At least two die in fire on Norwegian cruise ship

All passengers are safe.

Annie

[green_rd]

Wow - my heart goes out to all effected.

[Rev22:17]

Annie,

Originally Posted by You

BBC News - At least two die in fire on Norwegian cruise ship

All passengers are safe.

The vessel appears to be one of the so-called 'cruise ferries" that ply that region. At the very least, lit does not belong to one of the major cruise lines marketed in North America.

The "Safety of Life at Sea" (SOLAS) treaty, ratified a couple decades ago, gave every nation the right to inspect all vessels calling at its ports for compliance with its safety requirements. The United States Coast Guard conducts rigorous and very thorough safety inspections of every cruise ship that calls in any U. S. port at least annually, and these inspections even including casualty drills chosen by the inspectors, and I believe the United Kingdom to be similarly thorough. Unfortunately, the enforcement agencies of many other foreign countries are more lax if they bother to inspect at all. As a result, violations of SOLAS may persist for years on vessels that do not call in the United States or the United Kingdom -- and many of the European ferries do not.

Norm.

[johnthed0g]

Fires on ships are very bad news indeed, a LOT of training goes on.

[anniegb]

Originally Posted by Rev22:17

Annie,



The vessel appears to be one of the so-called 'cruise ferries" that ply that region. At the very least, lit does not belong to one of the major cruise lines marketed in North America.

The "Safety of Life at Sea" (SOLAS) treaty, ratified a couple decades ago, gave every nation the right to inspect all vessels calling at its ports for compliance with its safety requirements. The United States Coast Guard conducts rigorous and very thorough safety inspections of every cruise ship that calls in any U. S. port at least annually, and these inspections even including casualty drills chosen by the inspectors, and I believe the United Kingdom to be similarly thorough. Unfortunately, the enforcement agencies of many other foreign countries are more lax if they bother to inspect at all. As a result, violations of SOLAS may persist for years on vessels that do not call in the United States or the United Kingdom -- and many of the European ferries do not.

Norm.

Norm

I have a fair bit of knowledge on Norwegian Safety Regulations - they if anything are stricter than the UK's.

There are 2 heartbroken families tonight.

Annie

[kandajones]

Originally Posted by anniegb

Norm

I have a fair bit of knowledge on Norwegian Safety Regulations - they if anything are stricter than the UK's.

There are 2 heartbroken families tonight.

Annie

Being in full agreement with Annie, I have to add that these boats are mainly used for the Norwegian mail service, carrying passengers as a by-line.

Our thoughts also go out to those near & dear to the crew.

Alan & Katrina

[Trip]

I just saw the news,and they are trying to save this ship from sinking. So sad about those 2 deaths, there could have been many more.

[Lakers Fan]

I agree with Linda.