NTSB TO RELEASE FACTUAL REPORTS ON EMPRESS OF THE NORTH CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

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                       NTSB ADVISORY
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

December 19, 2007

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NTSB TO RELEASE FACTUAL REPORTS ON EMPRESS OF THE NORTH 
CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT



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        As part of its continuing investigation into a 
grounding accident involving the Empress of the North, 
southwest of Juneau, Alaska, the National Transportation 
Safety Board will open a public docket and release a factual 
report on Friday, December 21, 2007, at 11:00 am.

        On May 14, 2007, about 1:30 pm local time, the passenger 
vessel Empress of the North grounded on a charted rock at the 
intersection of Lynn Canal and Icy Straits, about 20 miles 
southwest of Juneau, Alaska, after the vessel failed to 
negotiate a turn to the west.  The vessel was carrying 206 
passengers and 75 crewmembers.  No injuries resulted from the 
accident, but the vessel sustained significant damage to its 
hull and propulsion system.

        The information being released is factual in nature 
and does not provide any analysis. It will include 
investigative group factual reports, interview transcripts, 
transcripts of recorded conversations on the vessel's 
bridge, maintenance records, and other documents from the 
investigation. Additional material will be added to the 
docket as it becomes available. Analysis of the accident, 
along with conclusions and a determination of probable 
cause, will come at a later date when the final report on 
the investigation is completed.

        For news media representatives, a CD-ROM containing 
the docket material will be available from the Office of 
Public Affairs, NTSB Headquarters (6th floor), 490 L'Enfant 
Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C. beginning at 11:00 a.m., 
Friday, December 21, 2007. Docket material also can be 
obtained from the NTSB's Public Inquiries Branch by calling 
(202) 314 - 6551, or from General Microfilm, Inc., (304) 
267-5830.

        This will be a document release only; no interviews 
will be conducted.


Media Contact:  Keith Holloway, 202-314-6100
hollowk@xxxxxxxx 




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