Crews Hope to Free Grounded Alaska Cruise Ship

JUNEAU, Alaska —  Salvage boats and workers kept close watch on a grounded cruise ship Monday, looking for fuel spills and preparing for an attempt to float the vessel free on Tuesday’s high tide.

The 156-foot Wilderness Adventurer ran aground Saturday afternoon on rocks in Dundas Bay, a scenic inlet in Glacier Bay National Park. The impact cracked the vessel’s hull and it began taking on water, but the 56 passengers and 24 crew were evacuated safely.

“With its precarious position on the rocks, it is possible that the vessel could slide off and sink, but we are taking every reasonable countermeasure possible to prevent that,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Dave Eley.

A few gallons of lubricant spilled into the bay from a damaged bow thruster, but the ship’s main fuel tanks, which contain about 4,300 gallons of marine diesel, were not damaged.

Built in 1987, the Wilderness Adventurer is a steel-hulled vessel from which kayaks can be launched. The vessel typically anchors in Dundas Bay while passengers explore the bay in kayaks. It was in the midst of a six-day excursion when the accident occurred.