Carnival Cruises Investigated for Dumping Sewage
Posted on Monday, May 6th, 2019 at 6:29 pm
The government of the Bahamas will launch an investigation of Carnival Cruise Line for discharging nearly 500,000 gallons of treated sewage into Bahamian waters following the release of a report from a Florida federal judge.
The 205-page report identified 13 incidents where Carnival illegally dumped treated sewage into the waters of the Bahamas during the cruise line’s first year of probation. The sewage dumps, which occurred over two weeks in June 2017, violate Bahamian rules as well as international rules. According to international laws, ships may dump treated sewage three miles from land. However, in the Bahamas and some other countries, ships must dump 12 miles off land. Some of Carnival’s discharges occurred while its ships were inside the 12-mile zone.
The report, which was released by U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz, identified over 800 total incidents on Carnival ships globally. Of the hundreds of incidents, 19 were for unlawfully burning heavy fuel oil (HFO) in protected waters, and over 150 incidents were due to items, such as chairs, accidentally going overboard. Missing records, incorrect logs, and faulty or broken machinery were among the other incidents noted.
Renward Wells, Minister of Transport and Local Government, said that the Bahamian government will undergo a thorough review into the report, according to a news article from the Nassau Guardian. Wells called the report “disturbing.”
Carnival Corp. reported the treated sewage dumps to authorities in the Bahamas and said the discharges were unintentional and the result of human error.
The Miami-based cruise company’s probation was due to a guilty plea in 2016 to seven felony charges from unlawful oil dumping and the ensuing cover-up on five of its ships, a conspiracy which lasted eight years. In 2017, Carnival’s first year on probation, the company didn’t commit any of the crimes it was convicted of the previous year.
None of the Carnival cruise ships that dumped treated sewage in the waters of the Bahamas are registered with the Bahamas. However, many Carnival ships are registered there, granting the island nation authority over Carnival’s activities.
Carnival Cruise Line Accident Attorneys
At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we are disappointed to hear of the news of Carnival dumping treated sewage, putting the health of others at risk. Unfortunately, Carnival has a long history of negligence and harming cruise passengers in the process. If you were injured while aboard a Carnival cruise, you may have options for recovering financial compensation.
The cruise accident attorneys at Louis A. Vucci, P.A. are committed to helping cruise passengers who have been injured or harmed on Carnival ships. When an injury affects your life, we recommend you seek the help of a skilled and experienced attorney. At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we strive to provide the best legal representation possible for our clients. We don’t charge you unless we win your personal injury case, and your initial consultation is free and confidential. Contact us today by calling (786) 375-0344. You may also fill out our online contact form or chat live with a representative on our site.
