Photograph by Luca Riva
A passenger on the cruise ship MS Marco Polo has died after a freak wave hit the ship in the English Channel.
Water reportedly crashed through a window, badly injuring an 85-year-old man, and a woman in her 70s, as the 22,000 tonne ship was heading towards the port of Tilbury in Essex.
The injured elderly man and woman were airlifted to hospital, but the man later died from his injuries.
Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) said:
CMV regrets to advise that earlier today their cruise ship MS Marco Polo, en-route to her home port of Tilbury from the Azores, was hit by a freak wave during adverse sea conditions in the south western approaches of the English Channel.
One elderly passenger has died and a further passenger has been airlifted for further shore-side medical assistance.
The vessel sailed from Tilbury on January 5 and is carrying 735 mainly British passengers and 349 crew.
Our thoughts are very much with these passengers and their families during this difficult time.
2 Comments
What was a cruise ship doing running cuises in adverse weather conditions!
Have they never heard of cancellations and weather forecasts!
They were on their way home from a six-week cruise to South America and on a schedule,