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Coast Guard Deciding If Royal Caribbean's Storm-Damaged Anthem Of The Seas Can Sail

BAYONNE, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Coast Guard is inspecting a cruise ship that was battered and damaged by an intense winter storm to determine if it can sail.

Inspectors on Friday are examining part of the Anthem of the Seas' propulsion system that had to be replaced, Coast Guard spokesman Charles Rowe said.

The left azipod was rendered inoperable during the storm, which packed hurricane-force winds and wave heights of 30 feet. An azipod is a propeller that's mounted to a steerable pod that contains an electric motor.

EXTRA: Anthem Of The Seas Fast Facts

"There was broken glass, rain damage and that sort of thing, we did find that one of the elevators had been damaged," Rowe told WCBS 880, adding everything that sustained damage must meet standards before the vessel can sail as scheduled on Saturday.

So far, repairs are on track and all system tests were progressing satisfactorily, the Coast Guard said Friday afternoon.

Royal Caribbean released a statement saying it is "focused on getting the ship ready for the next cruise."

The 1,141-foot ship returned early to its homeport of Bayonne on Wednesday night with 4,500 passengers and 1,600 crew members.

Some passengers said they thought the ship was going to sink when it sailed into a major winter storm on Sunday, but Rowe said there was never any risk of that happening.

"She was in no danger of sinking, I can tell you that with confidence, and all reports that we have received to date are that the captain and the crew acted in a thoroughly professional and capable manner during the storm," Rowe said.

In addition to the damage to the vessel, Royal Caribbean said four passengers reported minor injuries.

The company apologized, saying they're looking at improving their storm avoidance policy.

Passengers will get a full refund and a certificate toward 50 percent off a future cruise.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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