Miami Gets First Suit Against Carnival for Triumph Breakdown

As reported by the Daily Business Review and the various national news outlets, it took little time for passengers who disembarked from the disabled CARNIVAL TRIUMPH to sue Carnival. A lawsuit on behalf of passenger Cassie Terry of Brazoria County, Texas was filed against Miami-based Carnival in Miami federal court Friday. It came just hours after the vessel arrived in Mobile, Alabama on Thursday after five extra days at sea without power.

CARNIVAL TRIUMPH picture from Bloomberg News

The 100,000-ton cruise ship became stranded off Mexico when a fire broke out Sunday in the engine room. The fire knocked out the ship's primary power source, crippling its water and plumbing systems and leaving it adrift. "During the horrifying and excruciating tow back to the Untied States, the vessel listed sharply several times, causing human waste to spill out of nonfunctioning toilets," the lawsuit claims. Terry waded through human feces to reach food lines where the wait was hours, and often the food spoiled, the complaint alleged. The suit filed by Gilman & Allison of Pearland, Texas, listed counts of fraud, negligence and breach of maritime contract.

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