Brutal Winter: Cruise Ship Trapped in Ice

sailortjk1 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-27-2009

Not sure why they would even attempt to go out, but.........

Cruise ship trapped in St. Lawrence ice

1/27 - Matane, Que. – Noon update - A cruise ship with about 300 people on board is one of three vessels ensnared in thick ice at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River abeam of Matane, Quebec. North West winds are pushing the ice to the South shore and the tides are keeping the ice from drifting downriver.
Attempts to free the cruise ship Vacancier and the rail ferry George A Lebel from the thick ice have so far proved unsuccessful. The Lebel is sister ship to the Carrier Princess, former Incan Superior. The Vacancier left Montreal on January 24 and arrived off Matane about 8 p.m. on the 25th and has been stuck ever since.
The powerful Canadian Coast Guard Ship Terry Fox was sent to free the two ships, but was reported to have become trapped in the ice outside the Matane port and having trouble with one of her engines.
Filmmaker James Gray, who's on board the Vacancier," says the Terry Fox is stuck and "having a lot of trouble" trying to open the way. Gray, who says is making a documentary about the experience, also told CTV News everyone is doing fine and "it's turning into a 24-hour party."
In all, about 500 people are aboard the three vessels. The Terry Fox did manage to free the ferry Camille Marcoux on Monday after it became trapped in the ice the previous day with 113 passengers on board.
The Vacancier usually operates one-week cruises in the summer months. It was transporting 300 passengers to the Gaspe Peninsula from Montreal for a week-long ski trip in the Chic-Choc mountains when it became stuck in the ice.
The Gaspe Peninsula is on the eastern tip of Quebec and north of New Brunswick. Reported by: Toronto Star, CTV News and Kent Malo

Source: Boatnerd.com