A cruise ship with hundreds of passengers and crew members headed to Florida was diverted to the Bahamas this weekend after a U.S. judge granted a warrant to seize the ship as part of a lawsuit over unpaid fuel bills.
The warrant, approved by a judge with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday, would allow a U.S. Marshal to board and take charge of the cruise ship, the Crystal Symphony, once it reenters U.S. waters. As of Monday, CruiseMapper shows the ship anchored just off the Bahamian coast.
US AND UK NAVIES EACH SEIZE SMUGGLING BOATS IN MIDDLE EASTERN WATERS
It was not immediately clear how many passengers were on the ship when it diverted, but the Associated Press reported that some were taken by ferry to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday and others to a local airport in the Bahamas.
A lawsuit last week filed by Peninsula Petroleum Far East against the ship’s operator, Crystal Cruises, and Star Cruises, both owned by Genting Hong Kong, alleges that the companies owe them $4.6 million in unpaid fuel and asks for the court to take the vessel into custody for breaching their maritime contract, according to the filing. The lawsuit details that the Crystal Symphony owes over $1.2 million alone in fuel.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
On the same day that the lawsuit was filed, Crystal Cruises announced that it was suspending ocean and expedition ship operations through April 29 while management evaluates “the current state of business and examine various options moving forward,” according to a statement from the company.
