Captain, five others charged in sinking of ship
Updated Sat. Apr. 7 2007 2:03 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Just two days after a cruise ship struck a reef and sunk off an Aegean Sea island, Greek authorities have charged the captain of the vessel and five officers with negligence.
The six officers face charges of causing a shipwreck through negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations and polluting the environment, according to Greek state television.
They were released pending further investigation.
The 140-metre Sea Diamond, which was carrying 1,600 passengers, sank off the Greek Island of Santorini on Thursday, in the eastern Aegean Sea just minutes before arriving in port.
Divers are still searching the wreckage for a Frenchman and his daughter who are still missing.
The remaining passengers and crew -- including 60 people from Canada, mostly high school students -- were rescued from the ship.
The captain, chief mate, second mate, third mate, chief cabin steward, and housekeeper of the Greek-flagged vessel were arrested after the accident, a Merchant Marine Ministry spokeswoman said earlier Saturday.
Louis Cruise Lines, the tour company that operated the ship, claims it was in good shape.
"The vessel maintained the highest level of safety standards and was equipped with the latest navigation systems," said Giorgos Stathopoulos, spokesman for the operator.
Earlier, NET, the Greek state television network, reported that most of the damage to the ship's hull was caused before the captain issued a distress call, when he was trying to escape the dangerous rocks
The captain and the five others were to appear before the prosecutor on the nearby island of Naxos, according to reports.
Officials were working to clean up fuel that leaked from the vessel.
The evacuation was the largest since September 2000, when 80 people died when the Express Samina ferry ran aground and sank.
Greece's tourism minister said the government is taking the incident seriously and those who are responsible will be held to account.
Canadians tourists
The Canadians on board, mainly high school students from Quebec and Alberta, all got safely off the listing ship before it went down.
The group from Alberta's Tofield School east of Edmonton, included 22 students ranging in age from 15-18, as well as two teachers and two adult chaperones. They are expected to continue with the last few days of their trip and will return home Tuesday.
The group from Montreal's Lester B. Pearson High School included approximately 38 students who were also accompanied by teachers and chaperones. They are expected to return to Canada on Easter Sunday.
