The Spirit of Discovery cruise ship was hit by a freak wave while travelling back to the UK
It has been confirmed that a passenger onboard a cruise ship died after the boat was struck by a violent storm while en-route back to the UK.
On 4 November, 2023 the Spirit of Discovery cruise ship was travelling through the Bay of Biscay (which lies to the east of France and the north of Spain) when it was hit by a storm causing extremely violent force 11 winds and a 30ft wave to crash into the boat.
The storm battered the ship and caused injuries to over 100 passengers, eight of whom were taken to hospital when the boat arrived back in Portsmouth two days later. One of whom would later die from their injuries.
The Spirit of Discovery ship was struck by a violent storm last November (Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
The unnamed passenger’s death has been confirmed amid an ongoing report from Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), which is being supported by the cruise ship’s parent company Saga.
According to the interim report, the cruiseliner lost ‘propulsion’ (allowing crew to push the ship forwards) due to the severe weather, causing the boat to sway ‘violently while the crew restarted the vessel’s propulsion’.
The report added that the severe weather and issues with the boat lasted from 12.20pm GMT on 4 November into the next morning.
“The propulsion issues, storm force conditions and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage,” the interim report reads.
“During this period over 100 passengers were injured. Eight of the seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital on arrival at Portsmouth, England, one of whom later died from their injuries.”
An interim report into the investigation has been released (Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
The Spirit of Discovery also suffered damage to the interior and exterior of the ship, with images shared by passengers onboard revealing shattered glass, upturned tables and passenger belongings strewn across the floor.
First hand accounts from passengers onboard describe the chaos onboard during those hours, with several recalling having to ‘hold on for dear life’ at the time.
Recalling her experience to the BBC last year, 75-year-old Jan Bendall explained how she was in her cabin alongside her husband when the a message from the captain told all passengers to ‘remain seated or lie down’ over the speaker system.
“It was quite frightening,” she continued. “I’m not somebody who frightens easily… it was quite dramatic.
“We were lucky – we’re quite able-bodied, but I think some of the older people and people in their own cabins were quite worried.”
The interim report added that the investigation is nearly complete and that a full report into the incident will then be issued for consultation with all parties involved.
Pictures taken by passengers show the damage caused by the storm (Richard Reynolds)
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Saga has shared condolences with the family of the deceased passenger and added that everyone onboard was offered a full refund.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the family of our guest who died following the storm in the Bay of Biscay last year. We are continuing to work with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, supporting their investigation,” they said.
Featured Image Credit: Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
