Guest died after cruise ship hit bad weather - report

A passenger died after a cruise ship was caught in bad weather last year, a report has revealed.

The Spirit of Discovery was hit by force 11 winds in the Bay of Biscay on 4 November 2023.

More than 100 passengers were injured and eight were taken to hospital when the ship docked in Portsmouth two days later - one of whom later died of their injuries, according to an interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

A spokesperson for Saga, which operates the Spirit of Discovery, said they were supporting the MAIB's investigation.

They also extended their "thoughts and deepest sympathies" to the family of the guest who died.

There were 943 passengers and 503 crew members on board when the vessel "lost propulsion in heavy weather", causing it to move "violently while the crew restarted the vessel's propulsion", the report said.

The issues, combined with storm-force conditions, lasted from about 12:30 GMT on 4 November to the following morning.

The ship also suffered "internal and external damage" as a result.

The MAIB is a government organisation that investigates marine accidents involving UK vessels, not to place blame, but to prevent future accidents.

In this case, it said it was considering "all aspects of the accident" including why propulsion was lost, how prepared the ship was to operate in heavy weather, as well as the response and medical treatment on board.

The interim report stated the investigation was almost complete, at which point a full report would be issued for consultation with stakeholders.

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