01 Mar 2012
A row over tug boats forced the disabled Costa Allegra cruise ship to remain stranded for an extra 10 to 12 hours, according to a politician.
Seychelles minister Joel Morgan said the ship remained in the water without electricity, air conditioning or toilet facilities for longer because a dispute arose between a French fishing boat and quicker tug vessels.
He indicated that the French boat refused to let the faster ships take over the cruise liner’s rescue mission and this meant the Costa Allegra was unable to arrive in port on Wednesday night as hoped.
Mr Morgan, the minister of home affairs, environment, transport and energy, said discussions between the French boat and the tug boats were held “to no avail”.
He commented: “The Seychelles authorities are not happy about this situation and we would have wished to get the ship into port as soon as possible in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the passengers.”
Copyright Press Association 2012