Spam to the rescue: Passengers stuck on stricken liner for two days sent airdrop of canned meat

The cruise ship which was adrift in the Pacific after being hit by an engine fire was on the move today as Mexican tugboats began towing it towards California.

Nearly 4,500 passengers, including 16 Britons, and crew on board the Carnival Splendor, low on food and without air conditioning or hot water, are having to eat canned crab meat and Spam dropped in by helicopters.

And the air drops, and limited menu, will continue for another two days until their expected arrival in San Diego on Friday.

What began as a seven-day cruise to the picturesque Mexican Riviera turned into a nightmare on Monday when an engine room fire cut power to the 952ft vessel and set it adrift 55 miles off the Pacific coast.

Relief operation: A U.S. Navy helicopter carries supplies towards the stranded Carnival Splendor cruise ship which is being towed to the Californian port of San Diego The liner became stranded when it lost power after an engine room fire. Low on food and without air conditioning or hot water, the crew and passengers are having to eat canned crab meat and Spam dropped in by helicopters

Does anyone have a can-opener? Tins of Spam sit waiting to be loaded onto a plane headed towards the stricken cruise ship Carnival Splendor

No-one was hurt and by yesterday, U.S. Navy helicopters were ferrying 70,000lb of supplies, including the crab meat, croissants, Pop Tarts, Spam and other items to the stricken ship.

SIX BILLION TINS AND COUNTING, THE LUNCHEON MEAT'S APPEAL

Spam first went on sale in 1937 and during World War II the pink meat became a staple part of the UK diet.

More than six billion tins of the chopped pork and ham luncheon meat have been sold around the world.

In what may have echoes for the crew and passengers on the Carnival Splendour it was propelled to comic icon status by a Monty Python sketch with the song Wonderful Spam, Lovely Spam which featured a cafe with little else on the menu. It has even found its way into the name of musical comedy Spamalot. First sold as Spiced Ham in the U.S. in the 1930s, sales were sluggish until it was renamed.



The tugboats were originally set to take the Splendor to the Mexican coastal city of Ensenada but the cruise line changed its plans and were attempting to have it towed to San Diego, where hotel and flight arrangements would await the passengers.

But if the process moved too slowly, the ship might still be taken to Ensenada, the company said.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Kevin Metcalf said the tugs and a coastguard cutter escort would have to move slowly because the ship was so big.

Accidents like the engine room fire were rare, said Monty Mathisen of the New York-based publication Cruise Industry News.

The last major cruise accident was in 2007 when a ship with more than 1,500 people sank after hitting rocks near the Aegean island of Santorini, he said. Two French tourists died.

'This stuff does not happen,' Mr Mathisen said. 'The ships have to be safe, if not the market will collapse.'

The Splendor, which left from Long Beach, California, on Sunday, was 200 miles south of San Diego at the time of the engine fire, according to Miami-based Carnival. It began drifting about 55 miles offshore.

The 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew members were not hurt and the fire was put out in the generator's compartment, but the ship had no air conditioning, hot water, mobile phone or internet service.

After the fire, passengers were first asked to move from their cabins to the ship's upper deck, but eventually allowed to go back to their rooms. The ship's auxiliary power allowed for toilets and cold running water.

Bottled water and cold food were provided, the company said.

The temperature in the area was 62 degrees Fahrenheit (17C), and there were scattered clouds, according to the coastguard.

Yesterday U.S. sailors loaded cargo planes with supplies for the stranded passengers. The coastguard deployed aircraft and ships and the Mexican Navy was also helping.

The Carnival Splendor is being constantly resupplied by helicopters. It can be seen, in this image from a U.S. Navy aircraft, in front of the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier off the Baja Peninsula of Mexico

Crew onboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan carry boxes of supplies bound for the Carnival Splendor



Lift off: A Navy Seahawk helicopter takes supplies to the stricken liner

The U.S. Navy diverted the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan from training manoeuvres to help.

The Splendor had only enough food until last night because refrigerators on the ship stopped working after the power was knocked out, US Navy Commander Greg Hicks said.

He said 50,000lb of food had been delivered by last night.

The incident will be costly for Carnival, which is refunding passengers, offering vouchers for future cruises and may have to dry-dock the ship if the damage is extensive.

'We know this has been an extremely trying situation for our guests and we sincerely thank them for their patience," Carnival president and chief executive Gerry Cahill said.

'Conditions on board the ship are very challenging and we sincerely apologise for the discomfort and inconvenience our guests are currently enduring.'

Sailors load meat, bread and plastic dinnerware into an aircraft at U.S. Naval Base Coronado in San Diego. The liner is due in the port on Friday

The incident will be costly for Carnival, which is refunding passengers, offering vouchers for future cruises and may have to dry-dock the ship if the damage is extensive











