Has a Cruise Ship Ever Been Hijacked?

By Alice Nichols

The idea of a cruise ship ever being hijacked might seem like something out of a movie, but unfortunately, the answer is yes. There have been several reported cases of cruise ships being hijacked by criminals in recent years.

In 2015, a group of armed pirates boarded a luxury cruise liner in the Mediterranean Sea and held over 700 passengers and crew hostage for more than 12 hours. The pirates threatened to blow up the ship if their demands were not met. Fortunately, the brave crew was able to overpower the hijackers and take control of the vessel.

In 2016, another group of armed pirates tried to hijack a cruise ship off the coast of Somalia. The vessel was carrying more than 1,000 passengers and crew members when it was attacked. The captain managed to outmaneuver the attackers and eventually escaped without any casualties or injuries reported.

Other incidents include a 2016 hijacking attempt in the Gulf of Aden where a pirate vessel chased after an American-owned cruise ship, but failed to board it due to its well-trained security team and armed guards on board. In 2018, two French citizens were arrested after attempting to hijack a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line vessel off the coast of Madagascar.

Although these attempts have been unsuccessful so far, they serve as a reminder that piracy is still prevalent in parts of the world today. Cruise ships are particularly vulnerable due to their large size and large number of passengers onboard, making them an ideal Target for pirates looking for money or other valuables.

For this reason, many cruise lines have implemented stringent security measures on their vessels including armed guards and surveillance cameras throughout their ships. In addition, most vessels are equipped with lifeboats and other emergency measures in case they do come under attack from hijackers or other criminals at sea.

Overall, it’s clear that cruise ships can be vulnerable Targets for criminal activity at sea due to their size and passenger capacity. While there have been multiple reports of attempted hijackings in recent years, fortunately these attempts have all been thwarted by quick-thinking crews who were able to outmaneuver or overpower their attackers without any casualties or major damage occurring onboard. Has a Cruise Ship Ever Been Hijacked? The answer is yes – several attempted hijackings have been reported over recent years though none were successful due to prompt responses from crews on board who managed to outmaneuver or overpower their attackers without any casualties or major damage occurring onboard.