Fire on Board the Liberian Passenger Ship Ecstasy, Miami, Florida ...

Factual Information 40 Marine Accident Report• A placard in each passenger cabin provides emergency instructions. (Seeappendix C.)According to passengers and shipboard personnel, passengers were not told duringthe drill how to determine which crewmembers would assist them. They said that, duringthe drill and the actual emergency, the crewmembers having primary responsibility forassisting passengers and distributing lifejackets did not wear any type of identification.Passenger accountability. According to Carnival Cruise Lines’ officials,shoreside personnel prepared a manifest, which was provided to shipboard personnel, ofall passengers who booked a cruise on the Ecstasy. As passengers boarded the vessel, theywere asked to sign for a computerized “sign and sail” card that was used to makepurchases. Shipboard personnel used the computer data to confirm which bookedpassengers actually boarded the Ecstasy. Throughout the cruise, the crew used thecomputerized cards to determine which passengers debarked and boarded the vessel attravel stops.The lifejackets provided in each stateroom were imprinted with the letter of themuster station to which the occupants of that stateroom were to report during a drill or anemergency. Crewmembers in charge of the muster stations determined whether or notpassengers had reported to the correct station by the lettered lifejackets that they wore. Alist of the passengers who were supposed to report to a given muster station was notmaintained at the muster station or provided to the muster station leader.During an emergency, crewmembers were assigned to search each stateroom tomake sure that it was vacant and were required to place a towel around the exteriordoorknob indicating that the stateroom had been searched.Lifesaving equipment. An LR “Record of Equipment for the Passenger ShipSafety Certificate,” issued May 2, 1997, indicates the Ecstasy’s lifesaving equipment metthe requirements of SOLAS 74, as amended in 1998.The SOLAS 98 amendments stipulate the following requirements for personallifesaving appliances under regulation 7.2, “Lifejackets”:2.1 A lifejacket complying with the requirements of paragraph 2.2.1 or 2.2.2 ofthe Code shall be provided for every person on board the ship and, inaddition:.1 a number of lifejackets suitable for children equal to at least 10 percent ofthe number of passengers on board shall be provided or such greaternumber as may be required to provide a lifejacket for each child; and.2 a sufficient number of lifejackets shall be carried for persons on watch andfor use at remotely located survival craft stations. The lifejackets carriedfor persons on watch should be stowed on the bridge, in the engine controlroom and at any other manned watch station.