Captain Cook Cruises Face Safety Violations

Captain Cook Cruises is under fire this week after an investigation by the Office of Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI) found systemic breaches of Cruise Ship safety standards, reporting, and equipment requirements.

Captain Cook tours the Sydney Harbor and currently has 14 vessels operating. The investigation began after a fire on one of the vessels, the Jillian, happened in April last year. Upon the investigation, OTSI was deeply concerned with what they found on the Jillian which led them to extend their investigation to the entire Captain Cook fleet, which carried over 600,000 people last year.

As a result, the investigation found “many examples of non-compliance.”  Here is a list of what they uncovered:

1.) The company failed to report incidents of injury to passengers or crew. 87 injuries happened upon the Captain Cook vessels last year, but only four were recorded in logbooks.

2.) Vessel repairs and maintenance systems did not appear to be responsive.

3.) There were few signs for emergency exits.

4.) Electrical equipment was not inspected.

5.) Despite an internal policy requiring eight operational health and safety meetings a year, Captain Cook recorded seven in five years.

Despite the harsh investigation, the general manager of Captain Cook, Anthony Haworth, said the report painted an unfair picture on the company. Haworth describes the findings as an overreaction, but has said the company should have kept better safety records.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of Cruise Ship safety standard violations, contact the attorneys at V&B for free information and a free evaluation.