LOS ANGELES -- Three
crew members on Royal Caribbean Internationals Monarch of the Seas
died the morning of Sept. 2 after being exposed to a gaseous
substance while replacing a section of pipe connected to the
Monarchs sewage system.
Nineteen additional
crew were taken to local hospitals, Royal Caribbean
said.
The incident
occurred at 9:15 a.m. as passengers were disembarking the Monarch
in Los Angeles, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Fire Department
said. No passengers were affected by the gas.
The embarkation of
passengers on the Monarchs next cruise was delayed. Royal Caribbean
said the U.S. Coast Guard and other local authorities were notified
and rescue officials were at the scene to assist in the ships
ventilation.
Early reports of the
gas being identified as methane could not be confirmed, the Fire
Department spokeswoman said.
To contact
reporter Rebecca Tobin, send e-mail to [email protected].