Nearly 4,500 stranded on cruise ship off Mexico

SAN DIEGO – (AP) - A cruise ship stranded offshore with 4,500
passengers and crew must be towed slowly into a Mexican port and will
not arrive until at least Wednesday night, the Coast Guard said Tuesday.

The Carnival Splendor was 200 miles south of San Diego when an engine
room fire cut its power early Monday, according to a statement from
Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines.

The 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew members were not hurt and the fire
was put out, but the 952-foot ship had no air conditioning, hot water or
telephone service. Auxiliary power allowed toilets and cold running
water to be restored Monday night.

The Mexican Riviera-bound ship, which was drifting about 55 miles off
the northern Baja California coast, was in contact with the U.S. Coast
Guard, which deployed aircraft and ships along with the U.S. Navy and
Mexican Navy.