100 People Injured During Storm on Cruise Vessel in the UK

Roughly 100 people were injured after a cruise vessel off the coast of the UK sailed into stormy waters. Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Discovery entered treacherous waters triggering the vessel’s automatic safety systems. The boat shifted to one side before it came to a stop. 100 people suffered injuries that were described as “minor” and five had to be transported to the hospital after the storm abated. The ship had embarked on a 14-day cruise to the Canary Islands. It left on October 24 with roughly 1,000 people aboard before the cruise line’s staff made a decision to turn the boat around and head back to shore.

Passengers described the situation as “dire” and many “feared for their lives.” In some cases, passengers were writing texts to their loved ones in case the boat capsized. It doesn’t help that the cruise line’s clientele is older. Many elderly passengers sustained more serious injuries than their younger counterparts.

Passengers described the captain’s tone of voice as being “physically scared.” They described crewmates crying and many passengers in “awful states of fear.” One passenger said that the captain came over the loudspeaker to recommend that passengers remain seated or lie down.

One passenger said that the ship was at a standstill for 15 hours as waves crashed against their cabins. She said that she and her husband were “holding on for dear life.” Part of the dining room was converted into a makeshift medical area. Passengers were asked to remain in their cabins for part of the ordeal. Another passenger described how “tables were flying” and “throwing people around up and down all over the place.”

Would a cruise line be responsible for injuries in this scenario? 

Cruise ships have a duty of care to keep their passengers safe aboard their vessels. However, as the cruise ship is likely to tell you, they are not responsible for the weather. To prove negligence, the plaintiffs would have to establish that the ship’s captain did something wrong steering the ship into the storm. In this case, it appears that the ship just got caught in a storm. Passengers do assume some risk when they board a cruise vessel. The chances of catching an infection or sailing into a storm are both quite possible. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the cruise ship is responsible for the storm. It is, however, responsible for the safety of the guests.

At this point, no passengers have stepped forward to file claims against the cruise line. If they did, they would have to establish that the cruise line was negligent for their injuries. They couldn’t, for example, simply state that because they were injured, the cruise line was liable. They would need to establish that the captain somehow exacerbated the situation by failing to avoid the storm.

Talk to a Miami Cruise Ship Injury Attorney Today 

Miami admiralty & maritime lawyer Michael F. Guilford represents the interests of plaintiffs in claims against cruise ships. Call today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin discussing your injuries and allegations right away.

Source:

nypost.com/2023/11/08/news/video-shows-horrifying-moments-cruise-ship-passengers-feared-for-their-lives-tables-were-flying/