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Travelers aboard a cruise ship have recounted their experience of “clinging on for dear life” when they were caught in a storm off the western coast of France.
Last weekend, approximately 100 individuals were injured after the Saga Cruises vessel Spirit of Discovery encountered severe weather conditions in the Bay of Biscay.
The cruise line has confirmed that most of the injuries were not severe. However, five people required treatment for more serious injuries in our medical facilities onboard.
Consequently, the ship ended its 14-day voyage prematurely and arrived back in the UK last night (November 6th).
After arriving in Portmouth this morning (7 November), passengers have shared their accounts, with some stating they were instructed to stay in their cabins while the ship was affected by rough waves.
According to Jan Bendall, a 75-year-old passenger, she and her husband were gripping tightly during the storm and she admits, “It was quite scary. I’m not easily scared, but it was a dramatic experience.”
She praised the staff for their excellent service and mentioned that they had created a temporary medical space in the dining room to attend to the wounded. Passengers were advised to remain in their cabins for the remainder of Saturday and Sunday.
Approximately 1,000 passengers were on board during the accident. The vessel, which has been in operation since 2019, tilted to one side when the propulsion safety mechanism was triggered due to rough weather conditions.
Did you or anyone you are acquainted with travel on the Spirit of Discovery? Please send an email to [email protected].
On October 24th, after leaving the UK for the Canary Islands, the first 10 days of the 14-day vacation went according to plan. However, the final destination of Las Palmas had to be cancelled due to a predicted storm.
The planned route to A Coruna, located in northwest Spain, had to be abandoned due to severe weather conditions. The crew then made the decision to return to the UK earlier than expected. Unfortunately, the injuries occurred in this area known for its turbulent waters.
A representative from Saga Cruises stated that the ship, Spirit of Discovery, faced difficult weather conditions over the weekend while on its journey back to the UK. Despite remaining safe, some guests experienced injuries due to the storm.
“Our onboard medical team promptly attended to all individuals. Although we cannot control the weather, we would like to extend our heartfelt apologies to those who were impacted and have now returned safely after sailing in calmer waters.”
In the previous month, a blast occurred on a US-based cruise ship owned by American Queen Voyages, resulting in one crew member sustaining burns and the evacuation of over 200 individuals on board.
Source: independent.co.uk
