Cruise Ship Sets Sail Just 2 Days After Fire

The cruise liner Emerald Seas set sail for the Caribbean with about 900 passengers Friday, two days after an explosion and fire forced the evacuation of the ship and injured 17 people.

Cruise ship personnel worked through the night Thursday to pass inspections by the Coast Guard, which gave final safety approval early Friday evening.

Eastern Cruise Lines had scheduled departure for 7 p.m., but Coast Guard inspectors were still on board and refueling had not been completed. The vessel cast off at 8:25 p.m.

Passengers boarding the cruise ship Friday said they weren’t concerned about the fire.

“It just makes it more exciting,” said Rick Melvin, 32, of Sarasota, as he planned to depart on his first cruise.

Mari Sabater, 22, of Miami said she was a little bit nervous but decided on the trip anyway. “Just because it happened once doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again,” she said.