Terrifying footage filmed by a passenger has revealed what it was like to be onboard the Spirit of Discovery cruise ship during the storm that killed one person.
Last November, the cruise ship was rocked by a violent storm while passing through the Bay of Biscay en-route back to the UK, being battered by force 11 winds and waves as high as 30ft.
The cruiseliner was battered by a storm last November (Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images)
What happened onboard the Spirit of Discovery cruise last November?
An interim report has now been released regarding the incident, confirming that over 100 people where injured during the storm. Eight of these passengers were taken to hospital upon the ship’s arrival back in Portsmouth two days later, and one unnamed person later passed away from their injuries.
The report – which is being conducted by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) with support from the cruise ship’s parent company Saga – found the ship lost ‘propulsion’ at around 12:30 GMT on 4 November, which caused it to sway ‘violently’.
“The propulsion issues, storm force conditions, and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage,” the report read.
Passengers recalled ‘holding on for dear life’ during the storm (Richard Reynolds)
“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.”
Various accounts from passengers onboard began to circulate during and after the incident, with images and videos showing the ship in a state of disarray due to smashed glass and upturned tables.
In a terrifying clip captured by passenger Alan Grisedale, you can see some of the huge waves battering the ship’s exterior. Grisedale added to the BBC that he had been filming the situation when his wife was knocked over by the movement.
A crew member can be heard saying ‘Code Alpha’ over the speaker system, which is a term for a medical emergency onboard a cruise ship.
Meanwhile another terrified passenger recalled being told to ‘remain seated or lie down’ as the swayed violently.
“It was quite frightening,” she continued. “I’m not somebody who frightens easily… it was quite dramatic,” 75-year-old Jan Bendall said.
“We were lucky – we’re quite able-bodied, but I think some of the older people and people in their own cabins were quite worried.”
A spokesperson for Saga has since shared condolences with the family of the deceased passenger in a statement, adding that everyone onboard was offered a full refund.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the family of our guest who died following the storm in the Bay of Biscay last year. We are continuing to work with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, supporting their investigation,” they said.
