Annus Horribilis Continues

The cruise industry’s annus horribilis continues, CNN has reported that the Silversea Cruises ship Silver Shadow collided last Friday with a cargo ship in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay in heavy fog.

Luxury cruise liner involved in collision off Vietnam
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 20, 2012 — Updated 0202 GMT (1002 HKT)

(CNN) — A luxury cruise ship collided in deep fog with a container ship off Vietnam, punching a hole in the container ship and knocking passengers off their feet, a passenger told CNN Monday.

“The foghorn at the back of the ship had been going off consistently, throughout the morning,” passenger Andrew Lock said Monday from Hong Kong about the incident, which occurred Friday morning when the Silver Shadow was about five miles from the coast.

“But there was a certain point in time when the foghorn at the front of the ship suddenly sounded. And it was much much louder. And it caused us to look up. And in fact we looked up straight out of the window. And through the fog, to our horror, we saw this Vietnamese container ship appear, sideways on. And it was as if our ship was perfectly lined up to hit it in the side.

“So, it was a horrifying moment. And in less than about five seconds after the ship appeared. We did in fact collide right in the side of it.”

Lock said he and his wife had………[access full article]