MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) - As the U.S. Coast Guard released a new photo showing investigators inside the engine room of the Carnival Triumph, Local 15 News cameras captured some of the first pictures of the ill-fated ship's crew being shuttled between the ship and area hotels.
The Triumph sits idle at BAE Systems waiting for repairs as federal and foreign investigators continue the probe into the February 10 fire in the engine room which crippled the ship for 5 days before it pulled into port at the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile.
WEB EXTRA: Letter from Carnival CEO fails to mention help from Mobile During a conference call Monday afternoon, Coast Guard lead investigator Teresa Hatfield told reporters a leaking fuel supply line caused the fire inside the engine room. She said the crew acted quickly to contain the fire. Still it resulted in a total loss of power aboard the ship. "Anytime you have a fire you're going to have damage," she said, "They were able to contain the fire to a fairly small area of the vessel and they did a very good job with their fire containment."
Local 15 News also learned the supply line undergoes routine inspection. The last scheduled inspection, Carnival Spokesperson Vance Gulliksen told CNN, was November 15. It's unclear what the results of that inspection were.
What is clear is a history of issues with the Triumph. Local 15 News obtained a copy of an "urgent notice" from Carnival to Triumph passengers before it's last voyage. The message highlighted technical issues with the ships propulsion system. The company has denied any connection between that issue and the incident last week.
The loss of power February 10 resulted in few working toilets aboard the ship. Stranded passengers reported an unbearable smell from human waste and rotten food. Passengers praised the work of the crew to keep them calm during the extended and uncomfortable voyage.
None of the crew members Local 15 met Monday night wanted to speak on camera. The crew had been returning to the ship to help with cleaning the vessel.
