It was just reported on Headline News that 11 tourists from the cruise ship Millenium were killed in Northern Chile when their tour bus plunged off a cliff. Many of them were Americans.

Sounds like they were on a shore excursion and this bus accident occurred.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- A bus carrying tourists from a cruise ship plunged off a cliff in the highlands of northern Chile Wednesday and officials said 11 people were killed, most believed to be U.S. citizens.

Juan Carlos Poli, a spokesman for the city of Arica, 1,250 miles north of Santiago, said an undetermined number of tourists were injured.

"Rescue crews are working in the area, but we have confirmed 11 people killed, most of them from the United States," Poli said.

He said the tourists were from the Bahamas-registered Millennium cruise ship and had been visiting the area near this city in the border with Peru and Bolivia.

The accident occurred in the road between Arica and the Bolivian capital city of La Paz.

Poli said the cause of the accident had not yet been determined, but he added that the road was "very curvy ... a dangerous road."

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- A bus carrying tourists from a cruise ship plunged into a ravine Wednesday in the highlands of northern Chile and officials said 11 people were killed, most believed to be U.S. citizens.

The bus was carrying tourists from a Bahamas-registered Millennium cruise ship for a visit to a national park outside of Arica, a city 1,250 miles north of Santiago, near the border with Peru and Bolivia, said Juan Carlos Poli, a municipal spokesman for Arica.

Poli said an undetermined number of tourists were injured in the accident. Regional governor Patricia Perez said a preliminary report by police put the number hurt at 5.

"Rescue crews are working in the area, but we have confirmed 11 people killed, most of them apparently from the United States," Poli said.

The bus had a capacity for 54 passengers, but Poli said it was not immediately known how many people were on board.

The accident occurred about 28 miles northeast of Arica on the road to the Bolivian capital city of La Paz.

"We still do not know the cause of the accident, but the road passes several cliffs and is very curvy ... a dangerous road," Poli told The Associated Press by telephone.

The tourists were returning to the ship, which had arrived in Arica earlier in the day, after visiting the Chungara Lake in the Lauca National Park, at an altitude of 13,000 feet

SEVERAL BELIEVED KILLED OR INJURED IN BUS ACCIDENT


Miami - (March 22, 2006 ) - Several people are believed killed or injured in a bus accident in Arica, Chile. The guests were sailing aboard Celebrity Cruises' Millennium. They were on an independent private tour, not affiliated with the cruise line.

The accident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time. The injured have been taken to a local hospital, and a doctor and nurse from Millennium have been sent to the hospital to assist the injured and notify the families of the deceased.

The ship is currently sailing a 14-night South American cruise that departed Valparaiso, Chile, on March 19 and is scheduled to conclude in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 2.

The cause of the accident has not been determined, and Celebrity Cruises is working in close coordination with Chilean authorities to assist in their investigation.

Celebrity Cruises will provide additional information regarding this matter as it becomes available. Information will also be posted on the Celebrity Cruises web site at www.celebrity.com.

SEVERAL BELIEVED KILLED OR INJURED IN BUS ACCIDENT - (March 22, 2006 -- 10:00 p.m.) - Celebrity Cruises is working in close coordination with Chilean and U.S. authorities to provide assistance in the aftermath of today's tragic bus accident involving guests sailing onboard Millennium.

"On behalf of everyone at Celebrity Cruises, I would like to express our deepest sympathies to our guests and their families regarding the deaths and injuries that occurred today," said Dan Hanrahan, president of Celebrity Cruises. "We continue to make every effort to provide comfort and assistance to our guests and their families who have been affected by this tragic accident."

Preliminary information indicates that 11 guests were killed and three injured in the accident that occurred near Arica, Chile. The guests were on an independent private tour, not affiliated with the cruise line.

The accident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time. The injured have been taken to a local hospital. A doctor and nurse from Millennium have been sent to the hospital to assist the injured and local medical authorities.

Millennium departed Valparaiso, Chile, on March 19, on a 14-night sailing that is scheduled to conclude in Fort Lauderdale on April 2. Today's accident occurred on the fourth day of the cruise and the ship will remain in Arica, Chile, until further notice. The ship was carrying approximately 1,536 guests and 920 crew members.

Celebrity Cruises has established two toll-free phone lines for family members of guests sailing on this cruise. Callers in North America should dial 1-888-829-4050. Callers from outside North America should dial the following number collect 305-539-4050. These numbers are for family members only, and the company requests that the general public not use these numbers so family members of those onboard the ship may receive information in a timely manner.

Celebrity Cruises Vice President for Marine Operations John Krousouloudis is leading a special assistance team from the company that is being dispatched to the ship to help its guests and crew.

Celebrity Cruises reported the incident to the U.S. Consulate, U.S. Coast Guard, and Bahamian authorities. The company is working in close coordination those organizations and Chilean authorities to assist the injured and those onboard the ship.

The cause of the accident has not been determined, and Celebrity Cruises will be actively involved in the investigation.

Celebrity Cruises will provide additional information regarding this matter as it becomes available. Information will also be posted on the Celebrity Cruises web site at www.celebrity.com.