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The Captain of the cruise ship Empress of the North has called for passengers to abandon the ship after hitting a rock off Juneau Alaska. Reports are still light on facts but here is the initial AP report:

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A cruise ship ran aground off the Alaska coast early Monday, and more than 200 passengers were being transferred to life boats and a nearby barge, Coast Guard officials said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The 360-foot Empress of the North, carrying 281 people, was listing by about 6 degrees after hitting a rock at the southern end of the Icy Strait, about 15 miles southwest of Juneau, said Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak.

A Coast Guard plane and helicopter were dispatched after an emergency radio message came in from the ship at 12:35 a.m.,

The ship is owned by Majestic America Line of Seattle and has a maximum capacity for 223 guests. This has been a bad year for the ship after 23 passengers took ill and the ship subsequently failed its CDC inspection earlier this year. That incident is still under investigation.

STORY UPDATE:

This is Empress of the North’s Second Grounding

gCaptain’s continued coverage of this incident: LINK

Links:
Ship’s website.

Related Articles:

1. Pocket Cruise Ship Grounds in Alaska
2. Spirit of Glacier Bay – Cruise Ship Hard Aground in Alaska