Two Crystal Cruises ships that had been diverted to the Bahamas in an endeavor to stay clear of a warrant in the United States for unpaid warrants have been seized by authorities.
The Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity were being boarded by authorities in the vicinity of Freeport, Bahamas, on Friday night time in relation to a US warrant for unpaid gas bills of at least $4.6 million, in accordance to Daily Mail.
No passengers had been on the ships at the time of the seizure but crew users were escorted off the ship and released.
The Crystal Serenity was originally scheduled to consider about 200 passengers on a 3-and-a-50 percent thirty day period expedition, but two days right after leaving Miami on Jan. 17, the firm announced it would suspend functions through April. The ship canceled many port calls because then.
Passengers were being informed the ship would conclude the cruise in Aruba, but then neighborhood officials did not enable the ship to dock this weekend, so the ship was diverted to Bimini, a organization spokesman mentioned. The cruise line then ferried the passengers to Fort Lauderdale and taken to resort rooms Monday night.
The Crystal Symphony was supposed to return to Miami on Jan. 22, but as an alternative adjusted its system to Bimini, also offloading and ferrying passengers to Fort Lauderdale.
A federal judge overseeing a lawsuit that accuses the cruise line of failing to fork out $4.6 million for gas issued the warrant for the Crystal Symphony on Jan. 20. The maritime get authorizes U.S. Marshals to board a vessel and consider cost when it strategies the U.S. coast.
It is unclear how U.S. Marshals commandeered the two ships as they do not have jurisdiction in the Bahamas.
The U.S. Marshals did not promptly return a ask for for comment from Fox News.
The corporation announced it was suspending operations as a result of late April to “offer Crystal’s management team with an option to appraise the latest point out of business enterprise and take a look at various choices shifting ahead.”
The cruise line’s mum or dad firm, Genting Hong Kong, has been battling with the outcomes of the pandemic on its delivery and cruise organizations. Past thirty day period, a single of its shipyards submitted for individual bankruptcy protection in Germany.
Affiliated Press contributed to this report