Passenger killed and more than 100 injured after cruise ship sailing to England 'violently' rocked by freak storm
A holiday-maker tragically died last year after a cruise ship they were travelling on hit bad weather, a report has revealed.
Hundreds of other passengers onboard the Spirit of Discovery were also injured when the vessel came into contact with force 11 winds in November 2023.
An interim report of an investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has been released this month detailing the horrific incident.
Advert
The cruise ship was travelling from Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, to the UK through the Bay of Biscay - a gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of France - when it encountered powerful winds and colossal waves.
Upon arrival at the dock in Portsmouth two days later, more than 100 passengers were injured and eight were immediately transferred to a local hospital, after which one sadly succumbed to their injuries.
A spokesperson for Saga - the travel firm that owns and operates the vessel - previously told the BBC they were working closely alongside MIAB to determine the fall out caused by the disaster.
The company's representative also issued their 'thoughts and deepest sympathies' to the family of the passenger who died.
Prior to the incident, the ship was forced to cancel a stop-over in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, after colliding with bad weather, and was redirected towards La Coruna.
The ship's propulsion safety system was activated via its return to the UK, which caused the vessel to suddenly veer to the left, the Daily Mail reports.
The official report's factual information now explains: "At about 12.30 on 4 November 2023, the passenger vessel Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion in heavy weather while crossing the Bay of Biscay.
"This led to the vessel moving violently while the crew restarted the vessel’s propulsion.
"The propulsion issues, storm force conditions and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage. During this period over 100 passengers were injured.
"Eight of the seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital on arrival at Portsmouth, England, one of whom later died from their injuries."
943 other passengers - as well as 503 members of crew - were also onboard when the ship hit the storm, with the vessel itself also suffering 'internal and external damage' as a result.
The report explained that the investigation wasn't yet complete, and that another official statement would be issued following consultation with stakeholders.
Rhianna Benson