(CNN) -- Two people were
killed over the weekend when they were exposed to toxic gases on the ship once
used for the ABC television series "The Love Boat," according to the
company that recently bought the vessel.
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After the popular TV
show ended, "The Love Boat" vessel was renamed and went on tours on
the Mediterranean Sea.
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The ship, which had just
completed its final voyage and was scheduled to be dismantled, was damaged
while entering the port of Aliaga in Turkey's Izmir province and began taking
on water in a storage area under the main engine.
Crews on Saturday began
work to drain the water, deploying electrical pumps. Engine-exhaust buildup led
to the toxic exposure, according to Izmir Ship Recycling Co., the firm that
recently purchased the ship for 2.5 million euros (about $3.33 million).
Six other people were
injured and were released from the hospital after receiving treatment,
according to Izmir Ship Recycling.
The Aliaga attorney
general's office has launched an investigation, but investigators haven't been
able to reach the accident site. Izmir Ship Recycling has to finish removing
water and turn the ship off its side so authorities can continue the probe.
The boat's original name
was Pacific Princess. It is 171 meters (about 560 feet) long and 24 meters
(about 78 feet) wide.
The ship was used in the
ABC series between 1977 and 1987. Once retired from the series, the vessel was
renamed Pacific and was used for Mediterranean Sea tours.
Dismantling of the ship
is expected to take between seven and eight months.
Source:
CNN. 13 August 2013
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