MS Sea Diamond

MS "Sea Diamond" was a cruise ship operated by Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines. She was built in 1986 by Valmet, Finland for Birka Line as MS "Birka Princess." The ship sank on April 6, 2007 after running aground near the Greek island of Santorini the previous day.

History

Originally named MS "Birka Princess", the ship was built by the Finnish state-owned company Valmet at their Vuosaari shipyard in Helsinki [https://exchange.dnv.com/Exchange/Main.aspx?EXTool=Vessel&VesselID=14467 Vessel SEA DIAMOND] - DNV Exchange] at a cost of 350 million Finnish markka (€58,9 million). She was delivered in 1986 and operated for Birka Line in the Baltic Sea cruiseferry market, sailing on 24-hour cruises between Stockholm in Sweden and the Åland Islands in Finland. Between 1990 and 2003 she also made longer cruises around the Baltic Sea during the summer season.

Between 1992 and 2002, the ship's exterior was used to portray the fictional ship MS "Freja" in the Swedish TV soap opera "Rederiet". [ [http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,1040064,00.html Turister saknas efter "Frejas" förlisning] - Aftonbladet sv icon]

As built, she had a small car deck, with space for 80 passenger cars and a ramp on the port side in the rear. Like most cruiseferries in the Baltic Sea, she was built to ice class 1A.

In 1999 she was extensively refitted at Lloyd Werft in Germany at a cost of approximately US$26 million. [http://www.avstar-ph.com/downloads/LouisTakesDelivery.pdf Louis Takes Delivery of a New Large Cruise Ship] - Press release, March 17, 2006 (PDF)] [ [http://www.lloydwerft.com/e/auftraege/abgeschlossen/birka.htm Birka Princess - Work carried out at Lloyd Werft] ] The fore superstructure was extended and streamlined and 62 new passenger cabins were added, including a new deck of cabins above the bridge. In October 2004, when the new MS "Birka Paradise" was delivered, the "Birka Princess" started making two-night cruises from Stockholm to Turku, Helsinki and Tallinn, as well one weekly 24-hour cruise from Stockholm to Mariehamn. The new itineraries proved largely unsuccessful, and on January 2, 2006, the ship was laid up in Mariehamn and put up for sale.

In February 2006 she was sold to the Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines for US$35 million (€29.4 million). [ [http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Birka+Line+to+sell+one+of+its+two+cruise+vessels+to+Cyprus/1135218758464 Birka Line to sell one of its two cruise vessels to Cyprus] - Helsingin Sanomat, February 14 2006] As built, the ship only had an indoor pool in the sauna section on deck 2 in the bow of the ship. [http://www.dolphin-hellas.gr/Cruises/Louis-cruises/Ships/cruise-ship-decks-Sea_Diamond.htm#zante-deck Deck plan - "Zante" deck (deck 2)] ] A new outdoor swimming pool was installed and the sundeck area increased at Turku Repair Yard, Naantali. [ [http://www.turkurepairyard.com/index.php?pageID=5&langID=1&catID=42 2006-03, M/S Sea Diamond - Ex M/S Birka Princess] ] She entered service in the Mediterranean Sea as the second former Birka Line ship in the Louis Cruise Lines fleet, after MS "Princesa Marissa", the former MS "Prinsessan"/"Finnhansa". After the sale she was registered in Valletta, Malta. She changed flags in late 2006. At the time of her sinking she was owned by Elona Maritime Ltd, a company based in Malta [http://www.mfsa.com.mt/publications/publicationsViewBatch.asp?id=234&date=11/05/2006 Maltese Company Registry] , registration number C 38209] , but registered at Piraeus, Greece.

Artwork on the ship included two reliefs by ceramic artist Åsa Hellman. [ [http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/%C3%85sa+Hellmanin+sein%C3%A4reliefit+upposivat+risteilij%C3%A4aluksen+mukana/1135226522953?ref=rss Åsa Hellmanin seinäreliefit upposivat risteilijäaluksen mukana] - Helsingin Sanomat April 12, 2007 fi icon]

inking

On April 5, 2007, at around 16:00 EEST (13:00 UTC) [ [http://www.huliq.com/17637/cruise-ship-evacuates-1167-passengers-off-the-greek-island-santorini Cruise Ship Evacuates 1167 Passengers off the Greek Island Santorini] ] the ship ran aground on a well-marked volcanic reef east of Nea Kameni, [ [http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/data/D2007/D0410/1el13b.gifTA NEA 10.04.2007] ] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6530475.stm Two missing at Greek cruise site] ] within the caldera of the Greek island of Santorini, began taking on water, and listed up to 12 degrees to starboard before her watertight doors were reportedly closed (a report which was later refuted when the wreck was examined). [ [http://news.bostonherald.com/international/europe/view.bg?articleid=193121 Mostly Americans aboard evacuated Greek cruise] ] The 1,195 passengers, mostly Americans and 60 Canadians, were initially all reported to be safely evacuated in three and a half hours, with four injuries. [ [http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070407/NEWS02/704070342/1029/NEWS13 Dobbs Ferry tourists return today from ill-fated cruise] ] Some passengers, including a group of 77 students from Paisley Magnet School in North Carolina, [ [http://www.wfmynews2.com/news/breaking/article.aspx?storyid=82542 77 students, parents and teachers from Paisley Magnet School had to be rescued] ] were evacuated from the car ramp through the former car deck onto boats, but some passengers had to climb down rope ladders from the higher decks. The ship was towed off the rocks, and her list stabilized. [ [http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/05/greece.cruiseship.ap/index.html Hundreds rescued from cruise ship] ] Later, it was reported that two French passengers were missing. [ [http://greece.flash.gr//soon/2007/4/5/32712id/ Cruise Liner Sunk in Santorini] ]

The large amount of water taken on board led to the ship sinking shortly before 7:00 EEST on April 6 2007, only a few hundred metres from the shore. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6532235.stm Two missing at Greek cruise site] ] [ [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070405/greekisland_cruise_070406/20070406?hub=World Cruise ship sinks after hitting Mediterranean reef] (Images)] Video footage shows that, toward the end, the ship completely inverted before settling stern first onto the sea floor. It was later reported that the tip of the bulbous bow was only 62 metres below sea level, but the stern was in water up to 180 metres deep. It is feared that the wreck would soon slide deeper and sink into the submerged caldera of the volcanic island.cite news|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070413/ap_on_re_eu/greece_cruise_ship|title= Cruise ship 'black box' found|publisher=Yahoo news|date=2007-04-13|accessdate=2007-04-14 Dead link|date=October 2008] It has been speculated that the deep, almost vertical shore of the bathtub-like caldera made it impossible to the ship and save her from becoming a total loss.

Missing

Two French citizens, Jean Christophe Allain, aged 45, and his daughter Maud, 16, are listed as missing. Mrs. Allain said her cabin filled with water when the ship struck rocks and that she narrowly escaped. She was not sure whether her husband and daughter made it out because the events happened so suddenly. Her son was on deck at the time and was evacuated safely. [ [http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2430120.ece Two passengers missing after luxury cruise liner sinks in the Aegean Sea] ] The family were accommodated in cabin 22-04, [http://www.skai.gr/master_story.php?id=44558 Άκαρπες οι έρευνες] el icon] an 'outside' standard cabin on the starboard side of the vessel on deck 2, the lowest passenger deck.

Divers examined the wreck on April 6 to gather information on the ship's current position and to seek the missing two. The underwater search of this cabin recovered nothing. Divers continued searching on April 10, but nothing was reported. Later in the same day, local governors apologized to the French family for their missing relatives. [ [http://www.breakinglegalnews.com/entry/Greek-rescue-teams-are-searching-for-two-missing-people Greek rescue teams search for two missing people] , BLN - International, April 6 2007] The black box containing the recordings of the conversations before the crash was discovered on April 15, while the bodies of the two missing persons were never found.

Investigations

On April 7, Greek authorities announced that they were charging the captain and five other officers with negligence. State television reported they were charged with causing a shipwreck through negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations and polluting the environment. Additional charges could be made depending on the fate of the two missing passengers. All six were released until further notice but if convicted they could face a five-year prison sentence. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2007-04-07-cruisesinking_N.htm Greek cruise ship's personnel face negligence charges over sinking] , USA Today, 2007-04-07]

On April 13, 2007 it was reported that investigators using a remotely-controlled submarine found the ship's data recorder (VDR) and they brought it to the surface. In a struggle to protect the data, they secured it in a special sterilized bin and the authorities will transfer it to the United States, in order to reveal the saved data, an action that only the manufacturer of the VDR can operate. The Merchant Marine Ministry said the recorder could reveal details of the sinking of the Sea Diamond, information they hope to use in the prosecution of crew members.

DNV, one of the world's leading classification agencies, stated in their press release that "At the time of the accident, DNV had issued class certificate, safety management certificate and ship security certificate. Sea Diamond had no overdue surveys and no condition of class". For the Sea Diamond to have been issued a Class certificate, her water-tight doors would have to have been fully operational. [cite web |url=http://www.dnv.com/press/SeaDiamondcleanfromclassrelatedissues.asp |title=Sea Diamond – clean from class related issues |publisher=DNV |author=Richardsen, Per Wiggo |date=9 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-05-05]

In order to avoid an oil spill, plans are being made to recover around 450 tonnes (496 short tons) of fuel from the ship's tanks. As of September 20, fuel has started to leak from the fuel tanks into other parts of the ship, but not yet into the surrounding environment. If the ship were to drop off the reef it currently rests on and into the caldera below, the recovery of the oil would be almost impossible. [ [http://www.cruisebruise.com/Sea_Diamond_Sinks_April_5_2007_2.html Sea Diamond Sinks Off The Coast Of Greece - April 5, 2007 ] ]

On May 14, 2007 it was announced that Louis Cruise Lines had bought M/S "Silja Opera" to replace the "Sea Diamond".

On June 19 2007, the owners, operator and captain of the Sea Diamond cruise ship were fined €1.17 million for causing marine pollution. [cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Hefty fine for Sea Diamond |date=2007-06-19 |publisher= |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100014_19/06/2007_84684 |work=Kathimerini |pages= |accessdate=2007-06-19 |language= ]

On August 21 2007, a lawsuit was filed in United States federal court on behalf of the passengers who were aboard the ship when she sank. [ [http://www.cruisebruise.com/Sea_Diamond_Sinks_April_5_2007_2.html Cruise Bruise: Cruise Ship Sinking Results In Two Deaths] , retrieved 06-11-2007]

Investigations carried out by the defense team of the Master of the Vessel and Louis Cruise Lines have included a new hydrographic survey of the area of the accident in Santorini. This survey was carried out by Akti Engineering, one of the most reputable and specialized companies in Greece (also commissioned by the Greek state to map tens of ports in Greece), and discovered significant discrepancies between the actual mapping of the sea area and the official charts used by the "Sea Diamond" (and all other vessels) at the time of the accident.Fact|date=May 2008 The detailed survey revealed that the reef, which the "Sea Diamond" struck, is in fact lying at 131 meters from shore and not at a distance of 57 meters as is incorrectly marked on the nautical chart.Fact|date=May 2008 The official chart also shows the depth of the water at the area of impact varying from 18-22 meters, whilst the recent survey shows that it is only 5 meters.Fact|date=May 2008

Such findings indicate that, based on the official nautical chart used onboard, the vessel was on a safe course during the approach to her assigned mooring position in Santorini. The accident was therefore almost certainly a result of erroneous mapping information contained in the official nautical chart.

The findings obtained by Akti Engineering have since been passed on to the Hellenic Hydrographic Office of the Hellenic Navy and other responsible authorities, so that the necessary changes to maritime charts can be made and similar accidents can be prevented. [ [http://www.louisgroup.com/index.html?id=472&lg=en Louis press release: M/V Sea Diamond Struck the Reef and Sunk Due to Incorrect Mapping of the Area] , retrieved 02-11-2007]

A Greek scuba diver, aged 44, died while investigating the Sea Diamond shipwreck in October 2007. [ [http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s071007.html CDNN :: Scuba Diver Dies Investigating Sea Diamond Cruise Ship Wreck ] ]

Images from "Birka Princsess"

Images from "Birka Princess" taken one week after her maiden voyage in April 1986

ee also

*"Mikhail Lermontov", a Soviet cruise ship which ran aground on well-charted rocks and subsequently sank in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, in 1986 under similar circumstances to the "Sea Diamond".
*List of ship and ferry disasters
*List of shipwrecks

References

External links

* [http://www.dolphin-hellas.gr/Cruises/Louis-cruises/Ships/cruise-vessel-Sea_Diamond.htm The cruise vessel Sea Diamond]
* [http://greece.flash.gr//soon/2007/4/5/32712id/ Cruise Liner Sunk in Santorini] el icon
* [http://www.friendlyplanet.com/cruise-ships/louis-sea-diamond.html Ship Profile]
* [http://www.SeaDiamondSurvivors.org SeaDiamondSurvivors.org]

Amateur video and photos

* [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=zakhayes1 Videos by member of student group]
* View from island: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5sjnXkeTJI April 5 evacuation] , [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gCs3H8tN4s April 6 sinking]
* [http://picasaweb.google.com/sliderocity/CruiseShipPictures Pictures taken by a passenger during evacuation]
* [http://www.efoplistis.gr/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=292 Amateur photos before the incident]

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