Ship Mona Lisa's costly evacuation

Jul 07, 2008
In cooperation with BNS

RIGA- The freeing of the stranded ship Mona Lisa and evacuation of passengers cost Latvia 135,000 lats (EUR 192,000).

Ieva Aile, head of the governmental press service, told the Baltic News Service that Latvian lawyers are still negotiating with the insurer two financial positions that will decide whether value added tax is included in the total sum to be paid to Latvia.

The estimate of the total cost for the rescue operation carried out by Latvian military services was sent to the insurer, who sent Latvia a 200,000 euros letter of indemnity.

On May 7, Latvian rescue services managed to free the cruise ship that had become stuck off Latvia's western coast for more than three days before the ship went on to the port of Ventspils.

The Mona Lisa, a cruise ship with 984 people on board, was stranded in the Irbe Straits, 18 kilometers off Latvia's coast, on May 4. Initial attempts to free thegiant ship were unsuccessful, and more than 24 hours after the accident experts decided to evacuate the passengers who were then brought in by special train to Riga.

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