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Cruise lines asked to help hurricane victims
The US government has called on cruise lines to help with the relief effort following devasting Hurricane Katrina.
Cruise companies have been asked to deploy ships to the US Gulf Coast region to house people made homeless in what president George Bush described as “one of the worst natural disaster” the US has ever seen.
Latest estimates suggest tens of thousands of residents are to be evacuated from New Orleans which is almost submerged under flood waters. There are fears that thousands of others may have died as the hurricane engulfed the low lying city.
But cruise lines have yet to decide whether they can logistically re-route ships to the area, according to a Miami Herald report.
Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International have been contacted by the federal government about using their ships to house people displaced by the hurricane.
A Carnival statement reportedly said: “Although to undertake such an endeavour would involve many complicated issues, we are actively looking into it.”
A Royal Cariibean spokesman told the Miami newspaper: “Discussions are going on as we speak between various cruise lines and our [industry] association to determine the best way to respond.”
NCL said it would consider moving ships to accommodate refugees and relief workers if it is deemed feasible.
Report by Phil Davies
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