Cruise ships are usually a symbol of leisure and joy. But when a ship has an accident or malfunctions, it can quickly turn into a tragedy. This was the case in February 2020 when the MSC Opera, a cruise ship from MSC Cruises, had an incident in Venice.
The incident occurred as the MSC Opera veered off course and collided with a smaller riverboat on the Giudecca Canal. Luckily, no one was killed in the accident, but four people were injured. The riverboat also sustained significant damage.
Investigators soon began looking into what caused the accident and found that it was due to human error on behalf of the cruise ship’s captain. It appears that the captain misjudged his maneuvering of the vessel and caused it to hit the other boat while attempting to dock at St Mark’s Square.
As a result of this incident, MSC Cruises has been fined over $1 million by Italian authorities for their role in causing this accident. Furthermore, they have been ordered to take several safety measures to ensure that such an incident does not happen again in the future. These measures include installing more monitors and cameras on board, as well as providing more training for their crew members on proper navigation techniques.
The MSC Opera incident serves as a reminder that even with all of our technology and advances in maritime safety, accidents can still happen due to human error. That is why it is important for mariners to be properly trained and adhere to safety protocols while operating vessels at sea or near shorelines.
Conclusion:
The MSC Opera accident demonstrates that even with modern safety protocols and technology, accidents can still occur due to human error. This highlights how important it is for mariners to be properly trained when navigating vessels near shorelines or at sea.