Carnival Pride Secure Zone Breached
Small Boat With 4 Onboard Sought
August 12, 2007
The Coast Guard received a report around 11:30 a.m. that a boat with three males and a femaile was within the 100-yard security zone around a Carnival Pride cruise ship.
Carival Pride was docked at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal at the time.
Cruiseline: Carnival Cruise Lines
Ship: Carnival Pride
Built: 2001
Refurbished: 2004
Registry: Panama
Size: 88,500 Gross Tons
Length: 960 feet
Passengers: 2,667
Crew: 930
Caribbean Webcams > Here
The potential threat was met by police, lifeguards, the Coast Guard and Long Beach Fire Department.
The boat had been identified as a 15 to 18 foot long skiff, and was seen in front of the cruise ship and along the cruise ship pier.
The Port Operations Dive Group, composed of divers from the U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach Police, Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Lifeguards, Port of Los Angeles Police and Los Angeles Fire Department, searched the pier and cruise ship hull without finding anything suspicious. By that time, the suspicious boat had left the area.
Federal regulations prohibit unauthorized persons and vessels from approaching within 100 yards of a docked cruise ship. Violations of the security zone, which extends to 200 yards in front of the cruise ship and 100 yards around the rest of the ship while underway, is a U.S. federal offense.
The penalty for violating the regulation can result in seizure and forfeiture of the vessel, fines of up to $32,500 and up to 10 years in prison.
Port Of Long Beach, California
This is the second time this month a cruise ship secure zone was breached. This demonstrates how easy it would be for terrorist to attack a cruise ship, inspite of tightened security measures across the U.S. The other case is here.
Anyone who has information regarding the suspicious vessel is asked to contact the Long Beach Police Department at (562) 570-7422.
