A CRUISE ship belonging to Amersham businessman David Grimes has been the focus of a Legionnaire's Disease scare.

Two passengers on the 1,000-berth SS Edinburgh Castle were diagnosed with the pneumonia-like illness after completing cruises to the Mediterranean.

Mr Grimes is managing director of Lowline Shipping, which leases the vessel to holiday firm Direct Holidays. Tours on board the ship are operated by subsidiary company Direct Cruises.

The two passengers believed to have been infected with Legionnaire's Disease travelled on the SS Edinburgh Castle in April and June.

A statement from Lowline said: "Tests carried out on water samples taken from the ship, whilst not conclusive, showed a level of contamination with the Legionella organisms which may cause Legionnaire's disease."

A seven-day cruise to the Mediterranean was delayed by two days last week when representatives from Inverclyde's Environmental Services Department, Argyll and Clyde Health Board, The Maritime Coastguard Agency and The Scottish Centre for Infection boarded the ship to disinfect water systems when it was docked in Greenock, Scotland.

The ship was passed fit to sail last Tuesday. Passengers were offered compensation of £300-£500 per person.

Mr Grimes told Midweek: "We always prioritise the safety of passengers and crew and undertook a number of precautionary measures immediately we were informed of the situation."

A spokesman for Lowline said: "There is no conclusive evidence linking the previous cases of Legionnaire's Disease to the ship."

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