Three people are confirmed dead after a cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground off Italy.

There were scenes of panic as the Costa Concordia hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio and listed about 20 degrees.

At least 40 people have not yet been accounted for, Italian officials say, but they caution that the passenger list may not be fully up to date.

A Norwegian Cruise Line ship docked in Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal laden with two dead bodies on Friday after returning from Bermuda.

Among the dead on the Norwegian Dawn was a 23-year-old man who died on the ship on Thursday, and a 67-year-old woman who, according to NCL, passed after succumbing to a chronic health ailment.  Both passengers died in the ship’s medical center, and the names of the deceased have not been released.

Massachusetts State Police detectives were investigating the deaths and seen searching for clues in the cabin of the 23-year-old man.

As the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic approaches (15 April 2012), Haynes is publishing three books to commemorate the fateful voyage that holds such a prominent place in history.
 
Titanic – The unfolding story as told by the Daily Mirror (published 6 Oct 2011) is a new title offering a unique insight into the tragic, yet endlessly fascinating disaster.
 
Based on the Daily Mirror’s own coverage at the time, the book chronicles everything from the commissioning and construction of the world’s largest moving man-made object, to her maiden voyage and ultimate demise.

As a direct result of lobbying by the European Boating Association (EBA) the Norwegian Directorate of Customs and Excise announced on 5 October 2011 that it would be amending its rules relating to lay-up of foreign pleasure boats in Norway.
 
Boat owners, whose permanent residence is outside Norway, may now leave their yacht unattended in Norway for up to twelve months, provided that the yacht owner applies to Norwegian Customs and Excise for permission beforehand.
 
Previously such boat owners were only permitted to leave their yacht unattended in Norway for up to six weeks during a twelve month period and with no possibility for extending this stay without paying temporary VAT and the Norwegian "horsepower-tax".

Leading global nautical lifestyle and performance brand, Sperry Top-Sider®, announced today the addition of another Olympic-class sailing athlete to Team Sperry. Laser Radial sailor, Evi Van Acker, 25, from Belgium becomes the 31st sponsored member of the team. Along with her Team Sperry colleagues she will wear Sperry Top-Sider footwear on and off the water, and provide important feedback to the Sperry design team on technology and performance elements of her footwear needs.

Evi has many sailing accolades under her belt and was nominated Belgian Sailing Woman of the Year in 2005. In 2007 ISAF nominated her Rolex World Sailor of the Year and on July 8, 2011 she was crowned, for the first time, as Laser Radial European Champion. She recently earned a silver medal at the 2011 Skandia Sail for Gold, a race sailed on the same waters planned for the 2012 Olympic Games.