Cruise Ship Hit by Rogue Wave, 2 Killed

By James Sheldon on March 4th, 2010

It wasn’t simply one rogue wave, it was a set of three “abnormal waves,” all over the 26-foot mark.

Two passengers, a German man and an Italian man, were killed during the wave strikes. 14 other passengers were also injured, some suffering broken bones, while others were cut, bruised and battered. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. The ship itself sustained substantial damage–the force of the waves breaking multiple windows and flooding several passenger rooms and public areas.

The rogue waves struck the Greece-based, Louis Cruise Lines “Louis Majesty,” just 24 miles off the coast of northeast Spain, as the ship was en route to Genoa, Italy, from Barcelona–the last leg of a 12-day Mediterranean tour. The weather is presently suspected as the cause of the massive waves. Winds were at a consistent mark of 45 mph, registered by buoys located off of the French coast.

Following the incident, the ship returned safely to the Barcelona port, where it will remain for repairs. The cruise line has canceled the next scheduled cruise, and has arranged flights home from Barcelona for over 1,300 passengers from 27 different nations, including three Americans. No doubt, news and media outlets are scrambling to score the perspective, and we’ll all be privy to “what it was like when…” by the weekend.