A strong gust of wind pushed a large cruise ship into two moored container vessels as it departed from the German North Sea port of Bremerhaven, according to local police. The Sunday evening incident involved the TUI-operated Mein Schiff 3, which was carrying a total of 3,300 passengers and crew members on its way to the Canary Islands.
Police reported on Monday that one of the container ships sustained severe damage in the collision, while the second vessel suffered only slight impacts. The cruise ship itself was also heavily damaged in the accident, with photographs and visual documentation showing that several on-board lifeboats were crushed during the impact.
Detailing the extent of the structural damage, police stated that the collision tore open the port side of the larger container ship across a length of several meters and deformed its container guides. Despite the severity of the structural impacts, authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported aboard any of the three vessels involved. Furthermore, no water entered the ships because the damage occurred a few meters above the water line.
Following the accident, the Mein Schiff 3 returned to the cruise ship terminal. Port authorities have barred all three vessels from leaving the port while investigations and safety assessments continue.
TUI Cruises announced on Monday that the voyage had been canceled as a result of the crash. The cruise operator stated that the vessel requires dedicated repair work at a shipyard before it can resume service. According to updated figures provided by the operator, there were 2,428 passengers and 922 crew members on board the ship at the time of the departure.
Footage captured by an eyewitness and verified by news agencies showed the cruise ship navigating out of the port accompanied by tugboats amid choppy waters. In the clip, the vessel drifts increasingly close to a container ship secured along the harbor wall before making contact, prompting an observer to remark on the immediate end of the voyage. The vessel remains docked at the Columbuskaje following the stormy-weather incident.
