Spirit Of Columbia News

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage responded to a call from the cruise ship Spirit of Columbia after it ran aground on the east side of Evans Island in Latouche Passage, near Whittier on Sunday. There were 51 passengers and 21 crew members on board with no reported injuries. No pollution was reported, and no hull breach occurred. The Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore from Cordova, and two HH-60 helicopters and a C-130 aircraft from Kodiak were deployed to assist. Spirit of Columbia reported no damage had occurred and Coast Guard air assets were released from scene. The Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore escorted the Spirit of Columbia back to Whittier. Weather conditions on scene at the time of the grounding were 2 - 4 ft. seas and visibility at 4 - 6 miles.

A cruise ship with 72 passengers and 21 crewmembers headed to Whittier hit bottom Thursday night in Prince William Sound. The master of the cruise ship Spirit of Columbia reported to Prince William Sound vessel traffic service (VTS) around 7:50 p.m. that his vessel had went “touch and go” (hit bottom) and possibly bent the port shaft and propeller in Jackpot Bay, approximately 75 miles south of Whittier. The master of the vessel reported there was no apparent hull damage, pollution, or water entering the vessel. The master felt it safe to continue to transit to Whittier with the starboard propeller. The vessel was placed on a one-hour communication schedule with the VTS until they reached Whittier safely at 4:30 a.m. today. All passengers were safely off-loaded in Whittier.