Carnival checking security after Italy disaster

NEW YORK: US cruise ship operator Carnival said Thursday it would carry out a "comprehensive audit and review" of all safety procedures in the wake of the deadly Costa Concordia accident in Italy.

"Carnival Corporation & plc and the cruise industry as a whole have maintained an excellent safety record over the years," Carnival, which controls the doomed ship through Genoa-based subsidiary Costa Crociere, said.

"However, this tragedy has called into question our company's safety and emergency response procedures and practices," said chairman and CEO Micky Arison in the company statement.

"While I have every confidence in the safety of our vessels and the professionalism of our crews, this review will evaluate all practices and procedures to make sure that this kind of accident doesn't happen again."

Carnival said it supported a call by the Cruise Lines International Association for a comprehensive evaluation of safety regulations, which was made earlier in the day to the International Maritime Organization.

At least 11 people were killed when the Costa Concordia crashed into rocks off the picturesque Tuscan island of Giglio on Friday and lurched onto its side. Twenty-one people are still missing.