A 293-metre cruise ship operated by TUI Cruises collided with a container ship in a German North Sea port on Sunday evening, crushing several of its lifeboats during storm Manja. Police later confirmed that three vessels were involved in the incident, and no injuries have been reported.
Collision minutes after departure
The Mein Schiff 3 set sail at about 5.10pm local time on Sunday for a 20-day voyage bound for the Canary Islands, Spain. Just 20 minutes into the journey, the vessel struck the MSC Victorine, a container ship moored in the port, as strong winds battered the coast.
Dramatic footage captured by a passenger shows tugboats battling the gales while the cruise ship struggled to move away from the pier. The video shows the vessel scraping along the flank of the container ship, leaving several lifeboats smashed to pieces.
Impact and damage
The impact reportedly tore open the container ship's hull, with images showing major damage to the vessel, although the full extent remains unclear, according to German newspaper BILD. TUI Cruises confirmed the collision and said the ship returned to the pier, where specialists assessed the wreckage.
A spokesperson confirmed that 2,428 passengers and 922 crew members were on board when the collision occurred. “We will provide further information as soon as verified findings are available,” the spokesperson said.
Passenger accounts
Christian Breden, who had just dropped off his parents, aged 69 and 68, said the ship appeared to freeze about 30 metres from the quay for several minutes as it wrestled the gales. About 10 minutes later, the crash happened. His parents reported hearing a loud bang followed by violent shaking. “They said there was a bang like they had never experienced before,” Breden told BILD.
TUI Cruises announced that passengers could remain on board while the situation was investigated. Police later confirmed three vessels were involved, with no injuries reported.
