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Derelict Cruise Ship Drifting Off Newfoundland

Published Jan 25, 2013 11:29 AM by The Maritime Executive

Abandoned cruise ship, the Lyubov Orlova, has been drifting off the southeastern end of the Avalon Peninsula.

The derelict vessel had been tied up in St. John's harbor for over two years and was being towed to the Dominican Republic to be scrapped. Just one day after leaving the dock, on Thursday, the tow rope broke. The crew of the tugboat that had the old cruise ship under tow will try to reconnect the line today, reports CBC News.

Sea conditions have improved throughout the night, but the winds were recorded at about 35 kilometers an hour this morning; the waves were up to three meters high.

In September 2010, Lyubov Orlova was seized at St John's, Newfoundland due to debts of US$251,000 owed to the charterer, Cruise North Expeditions, from a cancelled cruise due to faults with the ship. In addition, the 51 crew members had not been paid in five months. The passenger vessel was reportedly sold to Neptune International Shipping and was scheduled to be broken up in February 2012.