Billionaire Micky Arison is offering to refund U.S. taxpayers the cost of the Navy and Coast Guard's assistance with two of Carnival's highest-profile marine incidents.
In a statement, Carnival said it's in the process of voluntarily submitting payment to the Treasury reimbursing the federal government for costs related to the drifting of the Triumph in February of this year and the Pacific Ocean stranding of the Splendor in 2010. These costs have previously been estimated at $780,000 and $3.4 million, respectively.
Carnival points out that no agencies have requested remuneration. But the move comes after a direct appeal from the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. Sen. Jay Rockefeller accused Arison of "bloodsucking off the American people" for not covering the costs of rushing to the aid of Carnival's 90 marine mishaps in the last five years.