VIDEO: Zenith Cruise Ship's Anchor Destroys Portion of Coral Reef in the Cayman Islands

VIDEO: Zenith Cruise Ship's Anchor Destroys Portion of Coral Reef in the Cayman Islands

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An underwater video shot by a diver reveals the moment a cruise ship’s anchor caused significant damage to a portion of coral reef in the Caribbean.

Cayman Islands officials launched an investigation after Scott Prodahl’s footage on YouTube showed the anchor and its chain draped across the reef – breaking off pieces of coral and kicking up dust.

Despite the destruction and the anguish of locals, the country’s environment bosses told local media there was no wrongdoing by the Zenith cruise ships crew and they did not violate any rules when they dropped anchor in George Town’s harbor on Tuesday.

The Zenith cruise ship, pictured last June in Greece, is owned by Madrid-based Pullmantur Cruises

Zenith, a 12-deck vessel that can carry more than 1,800 passengers and 600 crew, is owned by Madrid-based Pullmantur Cruises, a division of Royal Caribbean International.

Prodahl, an instructor with Foster’s Dive, called it ‘another sad day for the reefs’ of Grand Cayman, the largest of islands in the British Overseas Territory, and urged greater protection.

He wrote on YouTube that he decided to have a look after noticing the Zenith was anchored oddly close to the reef.

He added: “A massive portion of the reef … was completely destroyed today. The Department of Environment was contacted but nothing could be done because this was a designated anchorage zone and they were given permission to drop anchor.

“In the previous several decades this pristine portion of the reef was never needed as an anchorage location but for some reason today, when there was only four ships in port, it was deemed necessary.”

Tourism is a big money-earner in the Cayman Islands, and Prodahl criticized the decision to allow cruise ships to anchor near the reef, essentially sacrificing coral.

He later told Cayman 27 the damage was extensive, adding: “It’s a lot bigger than what you see in the video. In the video you only see a very small portion of that chain tumbling nut in reality it’s the entire length of it tumbling and scouring across the reef.”

Scott Slaybaugh, deputy director of operations and enforcement with the Department of Environment, told the Cayman Reporter “there was no sign of negligence” by Zenith’s crew, although it appeared the reef suffered “significant” damage.

He added: “While the northern anchorages have been long devoid of coral through years of anchoring, the southern anchorage is not often used so some remnants of coral reef remain.”

Environment Minister Wayne Panton told the newspaper he was advised that Zenith was anchored within the appropriate zone.

According to the Cayman Reporter, the Carnival Magic cruise ship destroyed 16,000 square feet of reef in 2014, and an investigation found the incident occurred outside the designated zone.

The company was not charged, and last March it pledged a $100,000 donation towards reef restoration efforts.

Source: The Daily Mail