Santorini Ship Sinking

Apr 07, 2007 11:13

The Sea Diamond, a ship operated by Louis Cruise Lines, sank Thursday in the crater of the Greek island of Santorini, which was once the volcano island of Thera before exploding about 3,600 years ago.

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pengolodh_sc April 8 2007, 01:57:34 UTC
The vessel is reportedly lying in 140 meters/460 ft/76 fathoms of water - here's a chart of Santorini and immediately surrounding waters.

I somehow doubt she'll be raised - it would probably be technologically possible, but with relatively low benefit compared to rather high cost. It seems likely to me that if the ship was raised after all, it would be so expensive to repair it that it would be sold for scrap, and even with today's high steel prices, I doubt they'd be able to recoup the cost of raising the ship.

As far as the operating company is concerned, it is probably cheaper and easier to buy another ship - this ship - M/S Opera - might be suitable. She has roughly the same parameters (age, size, speed, passenger capacity, designed cruise-duration) as the sunk Sea Diamond, and is moreover available for purchase or hire. Like the Sea Diamond was before being purchased by Louis Cruises, M/S Opera was operated short cruises on the Baltic (albeit by a different company, but the market segments served by the two ships were somewhat similar). In addition the M/S Opera has also sailed for NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) and for Star Cruises.

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