Norwegian Cruise to Plead Guilty in Deadly Blast

According to Reuters, Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal charge of grossly negligent operation of a ship in connection with an explosion that killed eight crewmen on the S.S. Norway in 2003, prosecutors said.  The cruise line will pay a criminal fine, but the amount was not disclosed in a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office announcing the plea.

The company likewise did not disclose the amount of the fine but said it had cooperated fully with government investigators and that the safety of passengers "has been and always will be of the utmost importance."

Norwegian Cruise Line is part of the Star Cruises family.