Tug boats to reach disabled cruise ship

Engine fire left toilets temporarily disabled

2/11/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS

HOUSTON — Carnival Cruise Lines says passengers are calm despite an engine fire that's left the ship Triumph adrift and disrupted some basic services, such as the use of toilets.

The U.S. Coast Guard says tug boats are scheduled to reach Triumph about noon Monday some 150 miles off the Yucatan Peninsula. The cruise ship with 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members will be towed to Progreso, Mexico, and is scheduled to arrive Wednesday. Passengers then will be flown to the United States.

Carnival says the fire was contained in the aft engine room. Toilets could not be used afterward, but they're now available in some portions of the ship.

Triumph departed Galveston, Texas, on Thursday and was supposed to return Monday.

Another Carnival ship, Elation, provided additional food and other provisions.