Spate of passenger deaths aboard Antarctic cruises prompts Coast Guard to investigate as the 'treacherous' destination rises in popularity and access

Thu, 02/09/2023 - 21:23

The Viking Polaris cruise ship sits on the water. — The Norwegian-flagged cruise ship Viking Polaris anchored in waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Ushuaia, southern Argentina, on December 1.
Photo by ALEXIS DELELISI/AFP via Getty Images

The Coast Guard is assisting with inquiries into four deaths on Antarctic cruise ships last year.
Three US citizens died in wave-related encounters while in Antarctic waters in November.
"This is a destination where there are increased risks when traveling," a cruise expert said.

The US Coast Guard is investigating a series of deaths and injuries of American citizens on Antarctic cruises over a two-week period last year, the agency announced earlier this month.