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Public Safety

Stranded Cruise Ship Being Towed To San Diego

Carnival Splendor, carrying nearly 4,500 passengers and crew, sits stranded off the coast of Mexico, November 9, 2010.
Courtesy of USS Ronald Reagan
Carnival Splendor, carrying nearly 4,500 passengers and crew, sits stranded off the coast of Mexico, November 9, 2010.

The U.S. Coast Guard says a second tug boat is hooking up to a stranded cruise ship that's being towed to San Diego.

The Carnival Splendor, carrying nearly 4,500 passengers and crew, lost power Monday because of an engine room fire during a Mexican Riviera cruise. Supplies were airlifted in on Tuesday and a Mexican tug began towing it.

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Rick Foster says a second tug was linking up with the 952-foot vessel Wednesday morning. He says the Splendor is about 125 miles south of San Diego and should arrive Thursday afternoon or evening.

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Carnival says the passengers have cold water and food, and are being entertained with music, trivia contests, board games and even a scavenger hunt.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.