Bus crash kills Celebrity Millennium passengers in Chile
Twelve passengers from Celebrity's Millennium, on a privately arranged tour in Chile, died Wednesday when their bus encountered an oncoming truck on a twisting mountain road, and plunged off the road down a 300-foot ravine.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone whose lives have been touched by this tragedy," said Dan Hanrahan, president of Celebrity Cruises. "We are devastated. We will continue to do everything possible to assist our guests and their family members."
The ship's departure was delayed to permit medical and other staff from the ship to assist two surviving passengers being treated at a local hospital, and Celebrity flew family members of those injured and killed to Chile. The fourteen passengers on the tour were from New Jersey and Connecticut, part of a larger 64-passenger group sponsored by B'nai B'rith.
Media reports state that the Chilean tour company's license was pending approval, and therefore the bus was not authorized to transport passengers.
While it's impossible to eliminate risk in life, this incident highlights one good reason to shun independently arranged tours in favor of the frequently more-expensive ship-sponsored shore excursions: the major cruise lines' risk management departments are more likely to thoroughly vet the local operators and hold them to a consistently high standard of safety and service.
Details of remarks from Dan Hanrahan, Celebrity's president
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone whose lives have been touched by this tragedy," said Dan Hanrahan, president of Celebrity Cruises. "We are devastated. We will continue to do everything possible to assist our guests and their family members."
The ship's departure was delayed to permit medical and other staff from the ship to assist two surviving passengers being treated at a local hospital, and Celebrity flew family members of those injured and killed to Chile. The fourteen passengers on the tour were from New Jersey and Connecticut, part of a larger 64-passenger group sponsored by B'nai B'rith.
Media reports state that the Chilean tour company's license was pending approval, and therefore the bus was not authorized to transport passengers.
While it's impossible to eliminate risk in life, this incident highlights one good reason to shun independently arranged tours in favor of the frequently more-expensive ship-sponsored shore excursions: the major cruise lines' risk management departments are more likely to thoroughly vet the local operators and hold them to a consistently high standard of safety and service.
Details of remarks from Dan Hanrahan, Celebrity's president
Labels: Celebrity Cruises
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