The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch has issued a report into an incident where a ship was struck by a horror storm, including force 11 winds, as it navigated the Bay of Biscay, on France’s west coast.
On November 4, 2023, Spirit of Discovery of Saga Cruises was on its way back to England when a violent storm struck. One passenger was killed and more than 100 more were injured, eight of those needing hospital treatment.
The vessel was carrying 943 passengers and 503 crew when the storm struck.
Passenger Carol Lake last year spoke to The Independent about the horror incident: “I’d packed my bag early but realised no one in the Bay of Biscay was coming to rescue us if we went over and thought for the first time I wasn’t going to make it.
“‘I have had a good life and thought ‘this is it then’ as I could hear others in alarm around me – and so I turned the television on and watched Strictly.
“It was like a horror movie outside with the waves going up so high. I just tried to keep a tad of normality in a situation I had absolutely no control over, plus I could turn the sound up to drown the ferociously howling winds.”
Other passengers described “holding on for dear life”, as the harsh conditions rocked the ship from side to side.
The new interim report reads: “At about 12.30 on 4 November 2023, the passenger vessel Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion in heavy weather while crossing the Bay of Biscay. This led to the vessel moving violently while the crew restarted the vessel’s propulsion.
“The propulsion issues, storm force conditions and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage.
“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
“The MAIB’s investigation has considered all aspects of the accident to determine the causes and circumstances of Spirit of Discovery’s loss of propulsion in heavy weather and the on board response, including analysis of the vessel’s intended passage; preparations for operating in heavy weather; the on board response to passenger injuries and damage; and the medical treatment of injured passengers.”
You can see some of the monster waves below.
How do cruise ships manage storms?
Prevention
- The first line of management against weather conditions is prevention. Many cruisers have experienced having a port cancelled or at least a cruise delayed or redirected due to this. Cruise lines are in constant communication with local marine services and have their own experts monitoring weather conditions at all time to try and avoid the possibility of the ship entering into an unsafe area. This is the first and most important step taken to ensure guest safety.
Construction
- Cruise ships are built to be extremely sturdy, even in the roughest of conditions. Cruise ships have huge steel hulls that can stand their own against a storm. All cruise ships are also given simulation tests, that simulate the conditions of a rough storm to see how the ship holds up. Rough weather conditions are a key factor through the whole construction process. Furthermore, some expedition ships that are designed for specific regions, such as the Arctic, will be built with the regions specific climate in mind.
Staff training
- If you’ve ever stayed onboard during a port-day, you might have had the opportunity to see cruise ship crew running safety drills. Some of the drills frequently run are for the event of sudden rough weather conditions. You can feel rest assured that the cruise ship crew will instantly know how to help you get to the safest parts of the ship and protect you from any high-risk areas.
