What was supposed to be the beginning of a relaxing cruise vacation turned into a frightening ordeal when a luxury passenger ship collided with two cargo vessels during stormy weather.
The incident involved the Mein Schiff 3, a cruise ship operated by TUI Cruises, as it was preparing to leave the port of Bremerhaven, Germany, on October 25. The vessel was scheduled to begin a voyage to Spain's Canary Islands.
According to authorities, strong winds pushed the cruise ship toward two container ships that were moored nearby. Despite assistance from tugboats, the vessel drifted into the other ships, causing a collision.
Footage recorded by someone aboard the cruise ship captured the frightening moment. The ship's lifeboats struck one of the container vessels, leaving several of them badly damaged.
The impact also damaged parts of the cruise ship's hull, lifeboat cranes and glass barriers. The larger container ship sustained considerable damage, including a tear several meters long along its side.
Fortunately, authorities confirmed that no one was injured and no water entered any of the three vessels.
However, the damage was serious enough to bring the planned vacation to an abrupt end. After technical inspections, TUI Cruises determined that the Mein Schiff 3 needed repairs at a shipyard and cancelled the remainder of its Canary Islands voyage.
Authorities also issued a sailing ban for all three vessels involved while the Bremen Water Police investigate the incident.
The company apologized to passengers for the disruption, saying it was focused on supporting them and arranging the next steps.