The Spirit of Norfolk caught fire during a cruise down the Elizabeth River on June 7, 2022, while 108 people were on board, including elementary school students.
The hearing, led by Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board officials, revealed new details about issues the ship had in the weeks before the fire, and efforts to address them.
The series of hearings, which begin Thursday, will examine “all aspects of the fire and subsequent total constructive loss” and will include testimony from Spirit of Norfolk staff and passengers, industry experts, marine mechanics, and leaders in the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard will hear public testimony beginning this week as part of its investigation of the fire that decimated the cruise ship Spirit of Norfolk at Naval Station Norfolk last summer.