A cruise ship went off course recently. Well, not due to any natural calamity but a US court order where a judge granted the seizure of the vessel.
The court order has come as part of a lawsuit over millions of dollars in unpaid fuel.
On Thursday, a federal judge in Miami had issued an arrest warrant for the ship. It is a maritime practice where a US Marshal goes aboard a vessel and takes its charge once it enters US waters.
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The ship, which was supposed to dock in Miami, has instead sailed to the Bahamas.
Crystal Symphony is currently docked in the Bahamian island of Bimini showed Cruise trackers.
On social media, the passengers and entertainers said that they were surprised to find out about the legal case.
A passenger, Stephen Heard Fales, posted on Facebook, “We all feel we were abducted by luxurious pirates!”
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On Sunday, some passengers were taken by ferry to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.
As per a statement from a Crystal Cruises spokesperson, the ferry ride was apparently “uncomfortable due to inclement weather.”
The guests were taken to local airports. It would not like to comment on any “pending legal matters”, the company said.
The exact number of passengers on board the ship is unclear. The company’s website says that it can carry up to 848 passengers.
(With inputs from agencies)
