Captain Suspended After Cruise Ship Crashes In Fells Point
BALTIMORE (WJZ)--A captain with the Spirit of Baltimore has been suspended after the vessel carrying 412 people crashed into a Fells Point pier on Sunday morning.
Dan Leaman, a spokesperson for Spirit Cruises tells WJZ the "vessel was returning from its scheduled cruise when it went off course and struck the dock at Henderson Wharf Marina."
Of the 412 passengers, two of them were hospitalized for minor injures, Leaman says.
U.S. Coast Guard officials, who are assisting with the investigation, say the 60-foot pier sustained significant damaged from the incident.
According to Leaman , the Spirit of Baltimore did not incur structural or mechanical damage and has been cleared for sailing by the Coast Guard. Cruises are continuing as scheduled.
"Spirit Cruises takes the safety of our passengers, community and shipmates very seriously. The company is conducting a full investigation and cooperating fully with the United States Coast Guard regarding the incident that occurred in the early hours of August 28," said Dan Leaman, General Manager, Mid-Atlantic Region, Entertainment Cruises (parent company of Spirit Cruises)
The captain, who is not being identified, has been suspended pending further investigation.
The exact cause of the crash is unknown at this time.
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