A rogue wave and high winds combined to briefly knock out power and the navigation system on a luxury Norwegian cruise on Thursday, Danish authorities and the ship’s owner said.
The authorities’ update comes as disturbing footage of huge waves hitting the ship in the North Sea has emerged, including clip of the rogue wave that reportedly smashed windows and cut power on board the MS Maud.
“There is no electricity on board,” a spokesman for the Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Center told Reuters on Friday. “The main engine is working but the navigation systems and radars are not working.”
Despite the horrific footage, cruise company HX, a unit of Norwegian group Hurtigruten, said in a statement that each of the ship’s 266 passengers and 131 crew were not physically harmed – although some were confirmed to have been. Seasick.
One terrified passenger told them daily Mail They knew immediately that something was off as soon as the massive wave rocked the ship.
“As soon as the wave hit, the TV screen disappeared and the ship’s distress signal sounded,” the passenger said, adding that passengers, tables and chairs slid around the ship as the waves hit it.
The rogue wave reached the MS Maud as it was sailing about 120 miles off the west coast of Denmark, Hurtigruten Group said. The plane was heading to Tilbury, in southeastern England, after leaving Floro, the westernmost city in Norway.
MS Maud’s description on the Hurtigruten Group’s website says the ship is “well suited for excursions”, with publicly available prices showing that cruises featuring stops in Floroe and Tilbury cost several thousand dollars. At least.
A tug ship was sent to tow the damaged boat to a port in Germany. Meanwhile, the company said the ship was manually steered from the engine room but was unable to sail.
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