The Nation : Grounded Ship Refloated

A cruise ship that ran aground in Alaskan waters was refloated on the rising tide and towed to a protected cove, a day after its 143 passengers were evacuated by boat and then flown to the mainland. No one was injured when the 307-foot North Star ran aground Friday on rocks near Prince of Wales Island and began taking on water through two holes in the hull. Authorities had not determined why the ship grounded. Some of the ship’s 60 crew members stayed aboard and patched the holes, a Coast Guard spokesman said. The North Star probably will be towed to a larger port for permanent repairs, he said.