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 30 August 2008 17:37 BST

Explorer 'failing' in key areas

Friday, 23 Nov 2007 17:34
The Explorer could sink or be salvaged close to Antarctica
The cruise ship abandoned off the Antarctic coast had several deficiencies when last inspected, a report claims.

Maritime market news portal Lloyd's List claims lifeboat maintenance problems and missing search and rescue plans were among the five failings unearthed in the May inspection of the M/S Explorer.

It says the inspection, carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, also noted problems with the ship's watertight doors and fire safety measures.

At present it remains unclear whether the vessel, which developed a 35-degree list after hitting submerged ice off King George's Island in Antarctica, will sink or remain afloat to be salvaged.

The M/S Explorer was the "world's first custom-built expedition ship" when it began operating in the early 1970s.

Canada-based Gap Adventures claimed it "goes where other ships cannot" on its website, describing its "ice-hardened double hull and a fleet of robust zodiacs" making it a "go-anywhere ship for the go-anywhere traveller".

The firm says the ship's captain, Uli Demel, is "widely regarded as the master of Antarctic navigation".End of story


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