Passenger dies after cruise ship hit by force 11 winds during storm – report

A passenger on board the Spirit of Discovery died from his injuries after the cruise ship was hit by force 11 winds in the Bay of Biscay, a report into the incident has revealed.

More than 100 guests were injured during the storm on November 4, 2023, with eight taken to hospital when the ship arrived in Portsmouth in Hampshire.

According to an interim report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), one of the passengers treated at hospital later died from their injuries.

Prior to the incident, the Spirit of Discovery, operated by Saga Cruises, had to cancel a visit to Las Palmas as the weather deteriorated and was instead bound for La Corona when that port was closed due to conditions.

The ship’s crew made the decision to return to Britain when the ship’s propulsion safety system activated in bad weather, causing it to veer suddenly to the left, bringing the ship to a sudden stop.

The MAIB report states that there were 943 passengers and 503 crew on board when the ship, which had sailed from Puerto del Rosario on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, encountered wind force 11 and a sea state of 8 as very high.

It reads: “On 4 November 2023 at approximately 12.30pm, the passenger ship Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion in heavy weather while crossing the Bay of Biscay.

“This resulted in the ship moving violently as the crew restarted the ship’s propulsion.

“The problems with propulsion, storm force and ship movements continued until the following morning, when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage.

“During this period, more than 100 passengers were injured. Eight of the seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital upon arrival in Portsmouth, England, one of whom later died from their injuries.”

It continues: “The MAIB investigation took into account all aspects of the accident to determine the causes and circumstances of the loss of propulsion of the Spirit of Discovery in heavy weather and the onboard response, including analysis of the intended passage of the ship, preparations for use in heavy weather. weather, onboard response to passenger injuries and damage, and medical treatment of injured passengers.”

The interim report states that the investigation is almost complete and that a full report will subsequently be issued for consultation with the parties involved.

Saga Cruises said in a statement after the incident: “Spirit of Discovery was unfortunately caught out by challenging weather conditions this weekend as she began her return to Britain.

“The ship remained safe at all times, but the impact of the storm caused some guests to sustain injuries.

“All were treated immediately by medical staff on board.

“While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we would like to sincerely apologize to all those affected who have now returned safely after sailing home in calmer seas.”