Has Any Cruise Ship Sunk in a Storm?

By Robert Palmer

In recent years, the topic of cruise ships sinking in storms has risen to the forefront of the public’s conscious. With a few notable exceptions, cruise ships have proven to be remarkably resilient and seaworthy vessels, capable of coping with even the most severe weather conditions.

In 2005, a wave estimated to be between 30 and 40 feet high hit the MS Bremen, a German-owned cruise ship sailing near Antarctica. Despite being severely damaged by the force of the wave, no lives were lost as crew members and passengers had time to abandon ship into lifeboats. The stricken vessel eventually reached port under its own power and was subsequently repaired.

In 2006, an unusual storm in Alaska’s Prince William Sound caused the wreckage of two decommissioned vessels to be dislodged from their moorings and crash into the MS Celebrity Mercury. This collision caused extensive damage to both ships but no casualties were reported due to swift emergency response from rescue teams on both land and sea. The Celebrity Mercury was able to complete its voyage after minor repairs were carried out at sea.

The most serious incident occurred in 2010 when MV Princess Ashika sank off Tonga’s northern coast during a tropical storm. Seventy-four people perished in this tragedy with only 22 survivors being rescued from the sea by local fishermen. Inadequate maintenance was cited as one of several contributing factors in this disaster which led to widespread condemnation and an inquest into passenger vessel safety standards throughout Polynesia.

The most recent major incident occurred in 2018 when Hurricane Michael ripped through Florida’s Gulf Coast with catastrophic force. Although several cargo ships were damaged by flooding or rough seas, no cruise ships sunk during this storm despite numerous vessels riding out the hurricane at sea or rerouting for safer waters further offshore.

Conclusion:

In summary, while there have been some frightening near misses, no cruise ship has ever sunk due to a storm as far as records show. Cruise ships are highly engineered vessels that are designed for extreme weather conditions; however it is important for operators to ensure that passenger safety is paramount at all times.