WORLD
Norwegian cruise ship freed after crashing into reef off Bermuda's coast
Baku, May 20, AZERTAC
A cruise ship carrying nearly 3,500 passengers and crew spent the early hours of Wednesday anchored off Bermuda after being grounded on a reef close to the British island, according to Mashable.
Norwegian Cruise Line said a rising tide helped free the ship and push it into deeper water late Tuesday after being stuck for nearly 6½ hours, but the company added that the ship dropped anchor and would wait for an inspection for any damage.
"All guests and crew are safe and there were absolutely no injuries," a company statement said.
The ship had just set off for Boston on Tuesday when it ran aground after a temporary malfunction in the steering system forced it slightly off course, the company said.
An official with Bermuda's Rescue Coordination Center who was not authorized to speak to the media told The Associated Press the ship hit the reef near Bermuda's North Channel.
The ship, with 2,443 passengers and 1,059 crew members aboard, would be inspected by a team of experts before resuming its voyage, the statement said. Earlier, small boats, divers and tug boats circled the Norwegian Dawn ship as officials tried to figure out how to solve the situation, according to tweets from passengers aboard the boat.