updated 11:05 a.m. ET July 17, 2008

NEW YORK - The Coast Guard has detained a cruise ship with 1,200 passengers in New York Harbor because the ship had a leaking hull, damaged lifeboats and other safety issues.

The Coast Guard said the Clipper Pacific's problems were found during a routine safety inspection that ended Tuesday.

A diving company made temporary repairs to the hull, but the Coast Guard ordered the 637-foot ship to stay in the harbor until further repairs were made.

The passengers are free to come and go while the repairs are done. The ship arrived from Greenland and was heading to Venezuela. It is based in the Bahamas.

The ship's operator, Miami-based International Shipping Partners, didn't return a message Wednesday.

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