Cruise liner runs aground
May 1, 2000, 07:30 AM
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
A Seattle-based cruise liner with 99 passengers on board has run aground off a group of islands near Australia.

Australia helps rescue 192 people from sinking vessel
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has this afternoon assisted in coordinating the rescue of 192 people from a Liberian-registered passenger vessel aground and sinking about 70 nautical miles north of Honiara in the Solomon Islands.
Radio distress signals from the vessel, the MV World Discoverer, were picked up by coastal radio stations at Townsville and Perth via a system known as Digital Selective Calling (DSC), and radio communications were subsequently established between the vessel in distress and AMSA's Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra.
AMSA's national search and rescue organisation, AusSAR, was initially unable to contact its Rescue Coordination Centre counterpart in Honiara, which is outside Australia's international area of search and rescue responsibility, but contact was eventually made with police authorities in the Solomon Islands.
The vessel, reportedly with 112 passengers and 80 crew aboard, had radioed that it was grounded, taking water and one ship's compartment was already flooded. The vessel was suffering a 15-degree list when it called for assistance.
Coordination between AusSAR, the Solomon Islands police, the vessel's operator and the Solomon Islands RCC eventuated in another ship, the MV Isabella, rescuing the crew and passengers from the stricken vessel at navigation position approximately 9 degrees 1 minute south, 160 degrees 8 minutes east.
Some on board had already taken to liferafts when the rescue was effected. The MV World Discoverer is understood to have subsequently beached on shore or on a reef, but no further details of the vessel's fate or voyage details are available. It is understood that all on board are this evening safe and well.

Das Schiff kreuzte durch die Inselwelt in Melanesien nordöstlich von Australien und lief ca. 20 sm nördlich von Honiara, der Hauptstadt der Solomon-Inseln auf ein nicht in der Seekarte verzeichnetes Korallenriff. Das Schiff machte Wasser und bekam Schlagseite. Der Kapitän setzte das Schiff so auf den Strand einer Insel, daß sich das Achterschiff noch im freien Wasser befindet. Die 99 Passagiere und ca. 90 Besatzungsmitglieder konnten unversehrt geborgen werden. Es trat kein Öl aus.

Surveyors are examining the beached adventure cruiseship World Discoverer in the Solomon Island before a decision is made whether she can be repaired or will be declared a constructive total loss. The inspection took place as Hanns Zuchold, managing director of shipmanager Discoverer Reederei of Bremen, held discussions with United Salvage of Sydney over a possible salvage contract. The 3,724 gt vessel was understood to have hull insurance placed by a German broker in the London market for around Dm 17.6m ($8.2m). Her protection and indemnity cover is with Shipowners, one of the international group of mutuals, and she is also reported to have loss of hire insurance in place. Despite the "adventure" label, the ship is said to pay standard insurance premiums apart from extra payments relared to her cruises amid Arctic ice. Her operator, Society Expeditions, has business interruption insurance.
One purpose of the inspection was to establish how much damage seawater has caused to the engine room, electric fittings and other installations in the 1974-built, Liberian-registered ship. The World Discoverer was to have been drydocked ahead of her next voyage, from Japan on May 28, but her manager is likely to charter a substitute if she will be out of service too long. Separately, talks had begun on building a second 200-passenger ship for her owner. This would be slightly larger, with bigger cabins.
It has emerged that the US Coast Guard listed more than 80 "deficiencies" on the ship during inspections last year. These were mostly in the nature of upgrading but included providing embarkation ladders of the proper length for each liferaft station and installation of more smoke detectors. A spokeswoman for Society Expeditions said all problems had been addressed.
 

Das weitere Schicksal der "alten" World Discoverer - Originalmeldung der Bergungsgesellschaft:
'World Discoverer' - Liberian Passenger Vessel ... 3,724 gross tons (under SCOPIC). Position: Salvage Master ... Date: May/June 2000.
Grounded with extensive bottom damage and flooded throughout, Solomon Islands with a 38 degree list. Patching, pumping, laying ground tackle and vessel refloated. Operation was stopped by hostile Militia two days before completion.