Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Aboard Celebrity Cruise Ship

Six people, maybe more, have been sickened by carbon monoxide aboard the cruise ship Celebrity Mercury docked in Baltimore McComas street and have been taken to hospitals.  While none of their conditions are life-threatening, carbon monoxide poisoning is very dangerous.

At least one of the seven was a worker on the Celebrity Mercury cruise ship, while many others have been identified as cruise passengers.  Some reports indicate that all seven of the injured were crew members aboard the cruise ship headed to Baltimore.  The crew members were allegedly poisoned while the ship was in transit.

So far, a hazmat team has been unable to determine exactly where the leak was coming from.  One possibility is that it might have been connected to welding being done on board the ship.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. owns the 12-year-old ocean liner.  After this voyage, the 866-foot Celebrity Mercury was scheduled for "repositioning," including repairs and restocking for future trips. The cruise ship has an occupancy of 1,886.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause brain damage and death and is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America.  The gas is odorless, tasteless, and colorless and the CDC estimates that CO poisoning kills approximately 500 people a year.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can be headaches, nausea, and fatigue, and prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and even death.  The treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning is high-dose oxygen, usually using a facemask attached to an oxygen bag.

The best on-board protection against CO poinsoning is to install adequate carbon monoxide detectors with an audible alarm that will beep loudly when the sensors detect carbon monoxide.

If you or someone you know has been exposed to carbon monoxide while traveling on board a cruise ship, working on an offshore platform, or serving as a crewmember aboard a vessel in navigation, contact our experienced team of Maritime Lawyers at info@smslegal.com.