WASHINGTON, D.C.— Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today sent a letter to Admiral Robert Papp, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, sharing his concerns regarding the Carnival Triumph incident, which has left more than 4,000 passengers and crew members stranded, amid accounts of unbearable living conditions.  The Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board have already launched an investigation into the cause of the engine room fire which led to the loss of power onboard the vessel.

“This horrible situation involving the Carnival Triumph is just the latest example in a long string of serious and troubling incidents involving cruise ships.  Safety must be the number one priority in any transportation industry.  It is time that the cruise line industry – which earns more than $25 billion a year – pays for the costs they impose on the government since it’s the Coast Guard that comes to the rescue every single time something goes wrong on a cruise ship.”

Rockefeller held a Commerce Committee oversight hearing in March 2012 to examine deficiencies in the cruise line industry’s compliance with federal safety, security, and environmental standards and review whether cruise ship industry regulations sufficiently protect passengers and the environment.

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