Carnival Triumph's departure delayed by legal issue
By Donna Tunney
The Carnival Triumph was briefly held at its homeport in Galveston after a Texas judge issued an arrest warrant for the vessel in connection with a Costa Concordia lawsuit against Carnival Corp., the parent company of Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Cruises.
The suit, filed by Eaves Law Firm of Jackson, Miss., on behalf of a woman from Germany who died in the Jan. 13 Concordia accident in Italy, sought the Carnival Triumph as security in its attempt to get Carnival Corp. to post a $10 million bond for damages.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Froeschner of Galveston issued the arrest order on March 31, and the 2,758-passenger ship was forced to delay by several hours its scheduled departure on a five-day Western Caribbean cruise.
It was released that night after Carnival resolved the issue.
“The matter involving the Carnival Triumph has been resolved and the ship has just departed on its scheduled five-day voyage. he ship will operate its normal itinerary with stops in Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico. While the matter was pending [March 31], guests were allowed to board the ship as normal and enjoy its many outstanding features and facilities,” a Carnival Cruise Lines statement said. It did not address whether Carnival Corp. posted the requested bond.
The Eaves Law Firm is representing the estate of Kai Stumpf. The lawsuit was filed on March 30 in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas.
Stumpf was one of 32 people who died when the 3,000-passenger Costa Concordia hit rocks and capsized off Italy’s Giglio Island. A number of lawsuits are pending.
For cruise news and updates, follow Donna Tunney on Twitter @dttravelweekly.
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