Cruise North News

Cruise ship 'Lyubov Orlova' broke free while on tow from St. John's NL, Canada for scrap in the Dominican Republic. In bad weather on 24, January  the towline parted, and the Canadian authority Transport Canada ordered the tugboat Charlene Hunt to return to port a few days later. Fearing possible collision of the drifting vessel with oil and gas installations off eastern Canada, the Lyubov Orlova was secured by the Atlantic Hawk anchor handler on the 31, January and was towed clear, however, a few days later Transport Canada decided the tow, now in international waters, should be releasd.

Eight crew remain on board after the ship was arrested in October by the ITF, with an outstanding wage claim of more than $300,000 (now $375,000). The vessel, registered in the Cook Islands, was chartered by Canadian company Cruise North, for cruises into the Arctic. The owner claimed to have a buyer lined up, but confirmed he would be abandoning the ship last week. ITF inspector Gerard Bradbury has been helping the crew in their claim, and says they are facing extreme hardship as a result of the abandonment.