The cruise ship Mein Schiff 3, while leaving the port of Bremerhaven, collided with the container ship MSC Victorine. This incident occurred on Sunday afternoon and resulted in significant damage to both ships. According to police reports, strong winds from a storm were the cause of the collision, and local authorities have detained the vessels as part of an ongoing investigation.
Details of the Incident
The Mein Schiff 3, with a gross weight of 99,526 tons, was carrying 2,428 passengers and 922 crew members. This ship, owned by TUI Cruises and registered in Malta, is 293 meters long and was built in 2014. The vessel departed from Bremerhaven at 5:10 PM heading for the Canary Islands but was diverted from its course due to strong winds.
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Published images show that tugboats were alongside the vessel, attempting to guide it towards the harbor while the sea was turbulent. During the passage alongside the container ship MSC Victorine, a collision occurred that resulted in a 10-meter hole in the hull of the container ship. Additionally, several lifeboats were also damaged.
Consequences and Investigations
This incident caused chaos for the 20-day journey of the passengers, but fortunately, no injuries to passengers or crew members have been reported. The Mein Schiff 3 returned to port, and the captain informed passengers that they would need to stay on the ship overnight and utilize the available facilities. TUI Cruises announced that technical teams are examining the ship, and the damages require immediate repairs at a workshop. Therefore, the current voyage has been canceled, and the company has not yet specified what will happen to future scheduled trips.
The police, the water police department, and port authorities are investigating the circumstances of this incident. It is still unclear whether the ship had a navigator or not. Questions have also been raised about the wind intensity and whether the port should have been closed.
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