Ship Fire Leads to Question of Vessel Safety on Capitol Hill

A Costa cruise ship caught fire early this week, leaving over 1,000 passengers stranded in the Indian Ocean. After the ship’s generator room caught fire, the ship was left without electricity and began to drift. Authorities rushed to the liner to help passengers and to search for the cause of the accident.

This fire occurred only one month after Costa’s Italian cruise tragedy that killed over 25 people and left seven others missing. In light of these two accidents, Congress met to evaluate the safety of cruise ship vessels using U.S. ports. The hearing reviewed the adequacy of current U.S. cruise ship safety regulations and sought to find a cause of last month’s deadly accident.

Approximately 10 million Americans take cruises every year. In general, cruise ships are safe. However, if a cruise ship cuts safety corners, there can be serious consequences. If you or a loved one suffered an injury on a cruise ship, be sure to document your injury and report your injury to the personnel on board. You should also find an attorney experienced in handling cruise ship litigation. It is important to remember that cruise lines are large corporations that often attempt to limit their liability. You should not settle with a company before seeking legal advice.

Broussard, David & Moroux has experience handling claims for cruise ship injuries. Our attorneys are skilled in maritime and admiralty law and work to hold cruise liners accountable when their passengers suffer injuries. For questions, contact Broussard, David & Moroux at 1-888-337-2323 (toll free) or 337-233-2323 (local).