Two killed as dismantling of famed 'Love Boat' begins

Gene Sloan | USA TODAY

The dismantling of one of the most famous cruise ships of the modern era, the former Pacific Princess, has begun on a tragic note, according to several press reports.

Turkey's Hurriyet Daily News says two workers at the Turkish scrapyard where the 42-year-old vessel arrived last week for disassembly were killed by toxic gas in its engine room.

Recognizable to millions of Americans as the "Love Boat" of 1970s television fame, the 19,903-ton ship is being taken apart for its metal and parts.

Tiny by today's standards, the 600-passenger Pacific, as it is now known, arrived at the scrapyard in Izmir, Turkey, on Wednesday after languishing at a dock in Genoa, Italy, for several years. The vessel last sailed for Spanish-based Quail Cruises after changing hands a couple times since sailing for Princess Cruises from 1975 until 2002.

Built in 1971 for Flagship Cruises as the Sea Venture, the ship was renamed Pacific Princess in 1975 after joining the Princess fleet. It gained worldwide fame over the subsequent decade as the backdrop for ABC's The Love Boat television series, which aired from 1977 to 1986. Take our 'last look' photo tour of the ship's interior.

Cruise industry executives often credit the top-rated show for igniting a multi-year boom in cruise bookings. Starring Gavin MacLeod as Captain Stubing and Fred Grandy as Gopher, the hour-long comedy depicted fictional passengers and crew involved in adventures and romances at sea.

A new Pacific Princess joined the Princess fleet in 2002 and continues to sail for the line. The original Pacific Princess' name was changed to Pacific after it left the Princess fleet.