Cruise ship passengers attacked by terrorists at famous Bardo National Museum

Terrorist attack during a shore excursion offered MSC Cruises’ along with guests from another cruise line. The guests were to visit the famous Bardo National Museum.

La Goulette is the port of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Its situated between Algeria and Libya.

It is important to note, all United States and Canadian citizens have been accounted for and are safely on board MSC Splendida.

MSC Cruises official statement

On March 18^th, MSC Splendida called on the port of La Goulette, Tunis for its weekly call performed during the season from December 17, 2014 to April 15, 2015. The ship arrived with 3,714 guests and 1,267 crew members aboard.

As is the case every time the ship calls in Tunis, a shore excursion offered MSC Cruises’ guests the opportunity to visit the famous Bardo National Museum. During the visit at the museum, some of MSC Cruises’ guests were caught in the middle of a terrorist attack along with guests from another cruise line.

As soon as the company heard of the attack and the fact that some of its guests were involved in this tragedy, regular stringent safety procedures were set in motion and the ship’s management called for the immediate cancellation of all on-going shore excursions and recalled all buses and their passengers on the ground back to the ship. The security on board was also immediately raised to Level 3, its highest, by emergency protocol to ensure complete safety of all guests and crew members – the company’s number one priority at all times.

In constant coordination with local, national and international authorities as well as embassies in Tunis and ground staff, MSC Splendida’s command worked towards organizing the safe return of the ship’s guests aboard, and assessing the situation in the city’s hospitals. Keeping guests aboard informed of the unfolding situation took constant synchronization between the officers aboard and the team ashore and the filtering of the sometimes contradicting information from various sources.

Finally, to allow all guests to promptly contact their families and loved ones at home and to provide reassurance about their wellbeing, all onboard telephone and internet was made available.

In the meantime, only a few hours after the tragic events, MSC Cruises’ Crisis Team reached the ship in Tunis and immediately set out to provide assistance and support to guests in this painful moment. MSC Cruises Executive Chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago, arrived in Tunis in the early hours of March 19^th in order to make a close assessment of the situation and to provide assistance to the victims and their relatives as well as consult with local authorities.

Based on the communication made by official authorities, MSC Cruises, its ownership and entire management team report with profound sadness that at the time of this announcement nine of its guests are reported to have lost their lives, 12 were injured, and six (two Spanish nationals, one Belgian, one British, one French and one Japanese) are still unaccounted for in conjunction with the tragic event at the Bardo Museum. However, these numbers are still subject to modification whilst official identification is on-going.

According to sources it would appear that of the victims, three were of Japanese nationality, two French, two Spanish and two were Colombian. The wounded, of which three Japanese nationals, one South African, one Belgian and seven French, are currently being treated in various hospitals. All of them are being assisted in person by members of the MSC Cruises Crisis Team that was immediately sent to Tunis to provide on the ground support.

MSC Splendida did leave the port of La Goulette, Tunis, this morning at 6AM. after receiving the authorization from the relevant authorities. The vessel is heading, as originally scheduled, to Barcelona where it is currently expected to arrive at 9AM on Friday, March 20.

MSC Cruises remains on site with its crises team in order to continue to provide key assistance on the ground to MSC Splendida’s guests who were involved in the tragic events and needing assistance.

Any future itinerary changes will be communicated in the coming hours. Please continue to check the travel agent and consumer websites for these updates.

At this tragic time, the MSC Cruises family wishes to extend its most sincere and heartfelt condolences to all those who were affected by this tragic event and are suffering as a result, in particular to the families and friends of those who lost their lives as well as those injured.

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