Home>>World
Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, November 17, 2003

Toll in France's Queen Mary II accident rises to 16

The death toll in the gangway collapse on the newly built ocean cruiser Queen Mary II has risen to 16, a spokesman of Alstom-Atlantic, the French company that builds the ship, announced Sunday.


PRINT DISCUSSION CHINESE SEND TO FRIEND


The death toll in the gangway collapse on the newly built ocean cruiser Queen Mary II has risen to 16, a spokesman of Alstom-Atlantic, the French company that builds the ship, announced Sunday.

About 30 others were injured, seven critically, when a 10-meterwalkway from the quayside to the ship collapsed Saturday afternoon during a visit by the family members of shipyard construction workers.

About 40 people were plunged 20 meters down into the dry-dock in the shipyard of the port city of Saint-Nazaire in Loire-Atlantique, western France.

French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy have visited the scene of the tragedy and expressed their sympathy to the families of the victims Sunday afternoon.

The accident occurred weeks before the scheduled delivery of the ship to Cunard Line company, a famous operator of ocean liners of luxury trips. Four days ago, the deluxe ship accomplished her second test trip.

The ship, built at an estimated cost of some 800 US million dollars, is 345 meters long and has a beam of 45 meters at the bridge wings. A majority of the ship's 1,310 staterooms have private balconies. It also has a theater of 1,000 seats.

Cunard Line started its tradition of luxury cruising in 1840. Queen Mary II is scheduled to join Cunard's two other ocean liners-- Queen Elizabeth II and Caronia -- in January 2004.




Questions?Comments? Click here
    Advanced






12 killed in accident on world's largest passenger ship 



 


Is English invading Chinese culture? ( 20 Messages)

Chinese fleet visit heart of US forces in the Pacific ( 15 Messages)

Global survey: Chinese women sexiest ( 56 Messages)

Economist: China has no need to worry about possible trade deficits ( 3 Messages)

Japanese students, teacher make apology in Xi'an ( 17 Messages)

China expects to see trade deficit in near future: official ( 9 Messages)



Copyright by People's Daily Online, all rights reserved