The Norwegian Crown ran aground onto a coral reef the morning of June 7, while sailing into Hamilton, Bermuda. The ship was being guided by a local pilot who was onboard, said Thomas Sleeter, director of environmental protection for Bermuda.
The ship was freed at about 6:30 p.m. the same day with the assistance of tugboats and high tide, and repositioned at the West End Dockard in Bermuda, NCL said. A full damage assessment was to be conducted by a team of divers, NCL said, but preliminary inspections indicated there was no damage to the ship. None of the guests and crew onboard were hurt, the cruise line added.
Sleeter said that at the time of the accident, there was heavy rain and a squall had come through the area. The following day, divers were assessing the damage to the coral reef, Sleeter said, but added that when a ship hits a reef “typically, it destroys it.”
The Norwegian Crown sailed from Philadelphia on June 4 with 1,135 passengers and 537 crew onboard and would return to Philadelphia on June 11 as scheduled, NCL said.
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