The TUI cruise liner Mein Schiff 3 collided with two container ships while departing the German port of Bremerhaven in stormy conditions, forcing the cancellation of its planned 20-day voyage to the Canary Islands.
The 8,000-tonne vessel, carrying 2,428 passengers and 922 crew members, struck the ships about 10 minutes after leaving the quay on the late afternoon of 25 October. Video footage shows passengers lining the ship's edge as tugboats tried to keep the liner from hitting a container ship moored alongside the dock.
A loud impact is heard in the clips as passengers shout and move away from the side of the vessel. The collision tore a 10-metre-long gash in the container ship's hull and damaged several lifeboats on the cruise liner.
Collision During Departure
The Mein Schiff 3 was embarking on a 20-day cruise to the Canary Islands when it hit the container ships amid high winds. Tugboats that had been escorting the liner are visible in the footage attempting to push it away before it scraped along the side of the cargo vessel.
Following the incident, the liner returned to the Columbuskaje quay, where specialists began assessing the damage and checking whether it was safe to sail. No injuries were reported, and passengers were initially allowed to remain on the ship.
Passenger Announcement and Cancellation
Captain Jan Schubert told guests: “Fortunately, according to the current information, nobody was injured. At the same time, we have already identified initial damage to the ship, which is now being thoroughly examined by experts.” He assured passengers that restaurants and bars remained open while the ship stayed alongside overnight.
A TUI Cruises spokesperson said: “We can confirm that, as the Mein Schiff 3 was leaving Bremerhaven in the late afternoon of 25 October, a collision occurred with two container ships. The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. We are therefore very relieved that, according to current information, no one has been injured.”
The spokesperson added: “Mein Schiff 3 is currently moored at the pier in Bremerhaven. Immediately following the incident, technical teams and experts began a thorough inspection of the ship. The damage identified requires urgent repair work to be carried out at a shipyard. In light of this, we have decided to cancel the planned cruise to the Canary Islands.”
The company said it would keep guests informed and support them with next steps, providing further information as soon as reliable findings are available.
