cruise ship capsized red sea

Accessibility Links

‘This is going to kill us’ — Britons escape death on capsized cruise ship in Red Sea

When David and Christian Taylor noticed that their drinking glasses were slipping off the breakfast table on the cruise ship they had recently boarded for a weeklong diving holiday, the pair giggled at the quirk.

The father and son popped below deck for a nap in their cabin on the Carlton Queen before a day of diving in the Red Sea, but were soon jolted awake as the boat lurched from side to side.

As David was thrown from his bunk, they knew that the apparent imbalance they had laughed at earlier was now much more serious as they watched a fish swim past the cabin porthole that should have shown the sky.

What followed was a dramatic escape from the bowels of the tourist

• Environment
• Road to Net Zero
• Art & Design
• Film & TV
• Music & On-stage
• Pop Culture
• Fashion & Beauty
• Home & Garden
• Things to do
• Combat Sports
• Horse Racing
• Beyond the Headlines
• Trending Middle East
• Business Extra
• Culture Bites
• Year of Elections
• Pocketful of Dirhams
• Books of My Life
• Iraq: 20 Years On

36 passengers rescued after speed boat capsizes in Egypt's Red Sea

Passengers included 26 polish tourists, eight crew members and two tour guides.

The Yemeni cities of Little Aden and Aden, on the coast of the Arabian Sea near the Red Sea, pictured by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi.

36 passengers were rescued from a speedboat which sank in a stretch of Egypt ’s Red Sea, south of the resort city of Marsa Alam.

A live stream of the rescue mission showed the boat slowly sinking into the water as rescue teams helped passengers.

26 Polish tourists, eight crew members and two tour guides were on board.

The capsized boat, named the New Dream, sank after a collision with coral reefs in the area cracked its hull, according to local reports.

The rescue was carried out by another nearby luxury speed boat named Enjoy, which answered the New Dream’s call for aid.

Local media reported the passengers were taken to a port in Marsa Alam where they received medical attention. No serious injuries were sustained by any passengers.

لحظة إنقاذ 36 فردًا بينهم 26 سائحًا من غرق مركب في مرسى علم ⭕️ تعرض مركب سفاري للغرق في منطقة شعاب قطعة الشرم جنوب مرسى علم فجر اليوم إثر اصطدام عنيف أدى لكسر جزء كبير في الجزء السفلي للمركب ⭕️وتمكن طاقم مركب آخر من إنقاذ 26 سائحًا بولنديًّا و8 أفراد من طاقم العمل، بالإضافة إلى 2 مرشدين سياحيين كانوا جميعًا على متنه. Posted by ‎ ابراهيم الشاذلى - Ibrahim El Shazly ‎ on Wednesday, June 7, 2023

In April, a triple-decker diving cruise ship capsized in the Red Sea while carrying 35 people in Egypt’s northern Red Sea region, all passengers also survived.

The Red Sea is well-known for its complex networks of coral reefs that make diving there a scenic experience, but add to the treachery of sailing.

Middle East Today

The must read newsletter for the region

Brit survives after 137ft yacht capsizes on dream holiday in Egyptian 'Bermuda Triangle'

A group of 26 international tourists, including 16 Brits, were enjoying a dream diving trip in the Red Sea in Egypt before their boat suddenly capsized in a horrifying turn of events

• 07:57, 15 May 2023
• Updated 10:40, 15 May 2023

A British tourist has described how he and others survived a terrifying capsizing on holiday while on board a 137ft yacht in an area said to be known as Egypt's 'Bermuda Triangle'.

A group of 26 people from across the world were supposed to be enjoying their diving holiday on a trip to Egypt last month.

But instead of making brilliant memories they would never forget, their dream holiday turned into a “nightmare” when the ship they had been staying on dramatically capsized on Monday April 24.

Of the group, 16 were British tourists, and it was only thanks to quick-thinking from all and teamwork that everyone made it out alive.

But then, instead of being helped by the company responsible for the boat, they were left without their passports, and help, they claimed, as the company allegedly threatened and pressured them to make false statements to the authorities.

Harrowing footage shows the group on board the ship as it tilts and slips into the ocean.

You can hear curses and screams as some throw themselves off into the sea near Hurghada, in the Red Sea, close to the entrance of the Suez Canal.

Another vid shows the boat slipping into the sea in scenes reminiscent of the Titanic, leaving the group clinging on before debris can seen scattered across the waves.

Then afterwards, the group can be seen huddled together desperately on a life craft before being rescued and taken to safety.

David Taylor, 53, an architectural technician from Nottinghamshire, knew something was wrong when he woke up and could see fish swimming outside his cabin’s window - instead of an idyllic view of the sky.

Eyes-witnesses said the sea was calm and the sky blue when the 137ft-long Carlton Queen suddenly began taking on water.

Mr Taylor and his 21-year-old son Christian were caught below deck, only rescued by the heroics of another passenger who then became trapped down there himself.

Speaking to The Telegraph , Mr Taylor said: "We were shouting for help and heard crashing above us and had this deep-seated feeling of dread that something terrible was happening. When we realised we couldn’t escape by the stairwell and no one had come to help us, it felt awful. I had lost the plot, I felt I couldn’t protect my son and I started to panic.”

Meanwhile, his would-be saviour Fernando Suarez Meilla, had returned to his own cabin to charge his camera, just to find that as the ship began tilting, his cabin door was suddenly where the ceiling had been.

After climbing out into the corridor he found the father and son duo panicking, but was able to lead them to an emergency hatch.

As they went, they checked each cabin to make sure it was empty, but found the handle on the hatch was defective so had to find another way out.

Eventually Mr Suarez Meilla was able to give the father and son a leg up to escape, but in the process he was trapped below deck.

He told them to leave and go, but as they did Mr Taylor hit his head on a metal tank, leaving blood gushing from the wound in his forehead.

Together, the father and son jumped into the water and floated until a life raft hauled them out.

Mr Suarez Meilla found every other escape route he tried “impossible” until he dived back through the remnants of the sinking ship, and swam out the bottom.

Toby Meadows, a 48-year-old fashion consultant from north London, was on deck when the boat began sinking, and, along with his brother, was lucky enough to be able to grab the rails as it began to tilt.

Others weren’t so fortunate and were tossed across the boat, and overboard into the sea.

The divers are now fundraising to replace all of their lost belongings and to start legal proceedings against the company who they claimed tried to pressure them into making false statements to authorities.

On a GoFundMe page , they said: “Some very very basic help was offered, but soon followed lie upon lie.

“The company made a lot of noise about wanting to help, but in the end it was all of us who did all the work to get the necessary paperwork to be able to travel back home.

“Unfortunately, our nightmare didn’t stop there. In the days that followed we were left alone with the predicament we were in.

“By the representative of the company that organized the trip we were threatened, lied to and pressured to make false statements to the authorities - which we of course did not do.

"Instead of sending doctors they send lawyers, instead of providing help, they tried to spread fear among us and instead of taking responsibility for what had happened, they did not even show up to a meeting in which they initially told us to provide a compensation offer.”

The Carlton Fleet, the company responsible for the trip, initially posted a statement on Facebook where they claimed their office “reacted quickly” and that they were helping them all with applications for new passports.

One of the Brits on board branded this a “false statement” and the company’s Facebook has seemingly been put onto private since.

The Mirror has approached the company for comment.

Click here to visit the group's fundraiser.

MORE ON Boats Egypt

Get email updates with the day's biggest stories.

British tourists dead after boat fire in Egypt’s Red Sea

Egyptian authorities say an electrical short circuit sparked a blaze on a scuba diving boat carrying 15 tourists and 12 crew members near Marsa Alam.

Three British nationals have been declared dead after a scuba diving boat they were on caught fire off Egypt’s Red Sea coastline.

On Monday, British tour operator Scuba Travel released a statement in which they said they “must accept that three of our much-valued dive guests … perished in the tragic incident,” when the Hurricane scuba diving boat went up in flames off the Red Sea resort town of Marsa Alam.

Keep reading

Russian man killed in shark attack off egypt’s red sea resort, ‘oldest and most complete’ mummy found in egypt, cleopatra was egyptian — whether black or brown matters less, egyptian pound has lost half of its value since march.

In a short statement a day before, Egypt’s Red Sea Governorate said 12 crew members and 12 British tourists were rescued and a search party had been launched to find the remaining three, whose identities were not revealed.

Following an initial examination of the vessel, Egyptian authorities said: “An electrical short circuit in the boat’s engine room sparked the blaze”.

The boat was on a six-day cruise and due back on Sunday when the blaze broke out while it was about 25km (16 miles) north of Marsa Alam.

Britain’s Foreign Office said it was in contact with the Egyptian authorities and is “supporting the British nationals involved”.

Uncommon in Egypt

Images posted on social media showed a white motor yacht with the same name on fire at sea, with thick smoke billowing into the sky.

“We saw smoke from the boat, it was around 9km [6 miles] from the beach,” said Ahmed Maher, a diving manager in Marsa Shagra village. “A nearby boat rescued them and dropped them off.”

Fatal boat accidents are uncommon in Egypt. In 2021, a boat capsized in a lake near Egypt’s Mediterranean city of Alexandria, leaving at least five people dead, including three children.

In 1991, an Egyptian ferry named Salem Express – sailing from Saudi Arabia to Egypt – sank, killing as many as 471 people, mostly Muslim pilgrims.

Egypt’s Red Sea resorts harbour some of the country’s most renowned beach destinations and are popular with European holiday goers. The area has cemented its reputation as a dive destination with easy access to coral reefs from shores and dive sites offering diverse marine life.

In recent years, Egypt has gone to great lengths to bolster its tourism industry, hurt by years of political instability, COVID-19, and the negative economic effect of the war in Ukraine.

Egypt’s tourism sector employs two million people and generates more than 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

On Thursday, a Russian tourist was killed by a shark in the waters off the Egyptian Red Sea city of Hurghada.

35 people rescued after Red Sea boat capsizes

Thirty five people have been rescued, including 26 tourists of different nationalities, after their tourist boat sank during a cruise to a diving area, navigational sources in the Red Sea said.

Workers on another tourist boat in the Red Sea were able to save 35 people, including 26 tourists from different nationalities.

The rescue happened after their tourist boat sank in the northern Red Sea , during a cruise to one of the local diving areas, sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

The tourists were transferred to a  nearby marina.

The sunken boat had three floors, and was returning from a diving trip in the famous Abu Nauhas area in the northern Red Sea.

Authorities acted quickly and with efficiency and the reasons for the sinking are being investigated.

Related Articles

Al Aqmar Mosque to be inaugurated Sunday after end of restoration works

CBE: Annual inflation rate declines to 40.7 percent in July

Giza Governor orders to develop area surrounding Grand Egyptian Museum

Egypt will not bow to US pressure to supply Ukraine with weapons: Report

Cruise And Ferry

Carnival confirms Red Sea diversions for 12 cruise ships

US-listed cruise giant says diversions will impact its financial performance for the 2024 full year

Carnival Corp has confirmed it will be diverting a number of its cruise ships around the Cape of Good Hope due to the deteriorating security situation in the Red Sea.

“Carnival is committed to the safety and well-being of its guests and crew and has been actively monitoring the situation in the Red Sea and surrounding region,” the company said.

Trending Today

Houthi missile attack damages first vessel in more than a month

Zim shares launch ‘breakout’ with 15% surge in a morning

Here, there and everywhere: George Economou ratchets up stake in Greek shipowner

TradeWinds is part of DN Media Group. To read more about DN Media Group, click here

CinemaBlend

After '9-1-1's' 'Huge Spectacle' Solution To The Cruise Ship Crisis, Oliver Stark Hypes An 'Intimate' 100th Episode

Posted: April 26, 2024 | Last updated: April 26, 2024

9-1-1 made its ABC debut in the 2024 TV schedule in a very big way with a cruise ship crisis for Bobby and Athena, hundreds of miles out at sea and far away from their usual crew of first responder friends. The three-part premiere event concluded on March 28 with "Capsized," which went even farther with the parallels to classic disaster film The Poseidon Adventure. The huge spectacle of crisis has finally been averted after some very close calls, and Oliver Stark – who plays Buck – opened up to CinemaBlend about the 100th episode, called "Buck, Bothered and Bewildered."

More for You

I'm abrosexual - it took me 30 years to realise

5 Things the Average Retiree Won’t Be Able to Afford in the Next 5 Years

Republicans Given Ultimatum About Trump

Scientists have discovered the maximum age a human can live to

We Ordered 7 Fast-Food Breakfast Sandwiches to Find the Best One

18 Vintage Boy Names No One Else Is Using Yet

‘Tracker' Casts Jensen Ackles In Justin Hartley Series – Airdate & Storyline Revealed With First-Look Photo – Update

Map reveals best places to live in the US if nuclear war breaks out

4 Supplements You Shouldn't Take If You're Trying to Lose Weight, According to Dietitians

Scientists claim people with this blood type more likely to have early stroke

'10-foot-tall people' discovered by archaeologists in Nevada cave

Patrick Mahomes commends Chiefs drafting speedy offensive playmaker

4 Things You Should Never Cook in Cast Iron

6 Phrases Adult Children Want To Hear From Their Parents

Major Steakhouse Chain Closes 41 Locations

223 vs 556: What's the Difference?

What happens if you don't use airplane mode on your flight? Here's the answer to that, and more common travel questions.

Barber Coins Are Worth Thousands: Here’s How To Spot Them in Your Spare Change

The One Thing You Should Never Do With Sprouted Onions

Popular Bakery Item Returns to Costco and People are Lining Up for Them

• The Inventory

Support Quartz

Fund next-gen business journalism with $10 a month

Free Newsletters

They cut a giant cruise ship in half to make it even bigger and it's amazing to watch

Like turning eggs into omelets, it turns out you sometimes have to break a cruise ship to make it bigger.

There’s something slightly unnerving about seeing an enormous cruise ship out of water. A skyscraper-sized vessel propped up by a few planks of wood in a barren dry dock is definitely strange to see, but it gets even odder when you watch workers slowly cut a ship in half in pursuit of making the vessel even longer.

Related Content

That’s exactly the fate that befell the Silver Spirit cruise ship, which is operated by European cruise line Silversea Cruises. The ship entered dry dock back in 2018 as a 640-foot, 36,009 ton ship, and left two months later almost 50 feet longer and with a new gross tonnage of 39,519.

Now, video of that glow up has surfaced online and was brought to our attention by the folks over at UniLad in the UK . And, dear reader, it makes for some very satisfying viewing I must say.

In the footage, workers can be seen cutting down the center of the ship . Once separated, the two sections are then slowly, but surely, inched further and further apart until there’s a gaping hole in the middle of the ship.

Next, a brand new, pre-fabricated section of ship is rolled into place and slotted between the two halves. The three pieces are then joined together and the refurbishment of the ship is complete, As UniLad explains:

Some 500 skilled workers put in approximately 450,000 man hours to insert the mid section and stretch Silver Spirit from 195.8 to 210.7 meters (640 feet to 690 feet). The operation involved 846 tons of steel and 110,000 meters (68 miles) of cabling and 8,000 meters (five miles) of piping. After the work was finished the ship has had its capacity increased by about 12 percent.

Once the work was finished up, the Silver Spirit returned to the seas with its new capacity that allowed for an additional 68 passengers to hop onboard the cruise liner.

A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik .

📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief

Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

Has a Rogue Wave Ever Hit a Cruise Ship? (Can it Survive?)

Rogue waves can be huge and appear out of nowhere.   If you are new to cruising or have any concerns after hearing about these freak waves, you may wonder if a rogue wave has ever hit a cruise ship.  And if so, what happened?  Did it survive or capsize?

We look at some of the most famous interactions between rogue waves and cruise ships, discover just how big they can be, and find out what happens if and when they ever hit a cruise ship.

What is a Rogue Wave?

A rogue wave is a rare extra-large wave appearing on the ocean surface without warning.  They are not restricted to the seas and can occur on large open-water bodies such as lakes.

Rogue waves are defined as waves that are at least two times the significant wave height of the area.

The significant wave height is the average of the largest third of waves over a given period.

This makes rogue waves significantly larger than other waves in the area.

Rogue waves can be extremely dangerous for small and large vessels such as cruise ships and even oil rigs.

Rogue waves are also known by many other names that signify huge waves, including:

• Abnormal waves
• Episodic waves
• Extreme waves
• Freak waves
• Killer waves
• Monster waves

If a rogue wave is seen on the coastline, they are sometimes called a “sneaker wave” or a “king wave” in Australia.

How Large Can Rogue Waves Be?

The rogue way that hit Queen Elizabeth 2 was estimated to be up to 96ft in height, possibly the largest rogue wave ever witnessed.

Beating that was when a fishing boat was hit in 1991, and a series of buoys in the area recorded a rogue wave at 100.7 feet .

Other accounts of rogue waves report them to be over 50ft to 70ft.

It’s quite possible more rogue ways have reached more than 100 ft in size but the odds of them ever being in the vicinity of a cruise ship are very low.

What Causes a Rogue Wave?

The causes of rogue waves are still largely unknown, but scientists believe they are caused by a combination of factors.

One theory is that rogue waves are created when two different ocean swells combine to create a larger wave. This can happen when two weather systems with different wind speeds and directions interact.

Another theory is that rogue waves can be created due to strong winds blowing over a long fetch of water. For example, if a low-pressure system moved across the ocean with high winds.  The long fetch of water will create large swells which can combine to form a rogue wave.

Rogue waves aren’t just found in rough seas, they have also been known to occur in relatively calm sea conditions.

Can a Rogue Wave Sink a Cruise Ship (Or Capsize)?

Given that we have highlighted rogue waves can reach 100ft, it is entirely plausible that a rogue wave could capsize or sink a cruise ship, although the likelihood of this happening is extremely small.

The force of the water hitting the ship’s side at high speed would be enough to cause the cruise ship to tip over .

The weight of the water would also cause the ship’s hull to buckle and possibly break apart.

The pressure from the rogue wave could also cause severe damage to any windows and external features of the ship.

Inside the ship, passengers could be injured or even killed if thrown around by the force of the wave and hit by any internal objects.

Has a Rogue Wave hit a Cruise Ship?

There have been five recorded instances of a rogue wave hitting cruise ships or passengers carrying ocean liners (QE2).  There were no reported casualties, and all five ships survived to sail for many more years after.

Viking Polaris 

In December 2022, an expedition cruise ship sailing on the Antarctic was hit by a rogue wave. Windows were smashed on deck 2 on the port side of the ship.

A 62-year-old passenger has died after sustaining injuries from the broken glass. 4 other passengers were treated for injuries sustained from the accident.

One of the passengers reported how the rogue wave hits the cruise ship and that it took the brunt of the wave without it rocking the ship back and forth. She was surprised at how stable it remained.

You can watch the NBC news report here:

Holland America’s MS Prinsendam 

In 2007 the Holland America cruise ship MS Prinsendam (now MS Amera ) was hit by a rogue wave estimated to be 39ft high .

The ship, which at the time had a capacity of 835, was struck by a freak wave in Cape Horn, Chile.  Approximately 40 people were injured, with some requiring hospitalization.

MS Bremen and MS Caledonian Star 

In 2001 Bahamian-registered cruise ships  MS Bremen and MS Caledonian Star were both caught in a rogue wave in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Both were hit by a rogue wave around 98 feet high .  Both ships suffered damage, including smashed bridge windows and destroyed navigation and communications equipment.

The Bremen was adrift for 2 hours with no propulsion, while the Caledonian Star had to be tugged by the Argentinian Navy at the Argentine port of Ushuaia.

Both ships served many more years as sea vessels, and the Bremen is still sailing.

Queen Elizabeth 2

In September of 1995, the Cunard line Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner was hit by an estimated 92 to 96-foot high rogue wave caused by Hurricane Luis while crossing North Atlantic Ocean.

Although not technically cruise ships, ocean liners like the Titanic was , are built even more robustly to cope with the roughest seas on transatlantic crossings.

The freak wave hit the ship in the early hours, 200 miles off Newfoundland, as it was carrying almost 3000 passengers.   The cruise captain had previously requested all passengers stay in their quarters due to the hurricane conditions, and many would have been in their beds.

The ship took an almighty hit over the bow and subsequent hits by two more large waves.  Amazingly no one was injured.

Some photos of the damage, as well as first-hand experiences, can be read here .

On the page, someone who claimed to be “Chief Cashier on that Voyage” stated:

” If you saw the film The Perfect Storm and the scene with the fishing boat climbing up this enormous wave then that was us. “

Here’s a clip of the Giant wave to give you an idea of the experience that he was referring to:

MV Explorer

On the 26th of January 2005, the cruise ship MV Explorer, part of the Semester at Sea program, was hit by a 50ft rogue wave that smashed windows on the bridge, shorted navigational systems, and resulted in two engines failing.

The mid-sized cruise ship had approximately 700 students onboard at the time.

You can see a video of the aftermath and an example in our post of how a cruise ship does not tip over. Let’s just say even the aftermath was a scary experience, let alone being hit by the freak wave.

Further below, we have a video with footage the students filmed while in the ship after being hit by the freak wave.

Has a Rogue Wave Sunk a Cruise Ship?

While rogue waves are undoubtedly responsible for the sinking of smaller ships over the years, it’s very hard to know for certain if a rogue wave was the cause in many cases.

There are many accounts of ships going missing in the past without a trace, and it’s possible that some of these were due to rogue waves.

However, there have been no recorded cases of a rogue wave sinking a cruise ship.

The most likely reason for this is that technology has improved greatly over the years, and we are now better able to forecast weather and wave conditions in a way that would enable the crew and captain to take appropriate action to position the ship.

This means that cruise ships can avoid ocean areas where rogue waves are more likely to occur.

Albeit the real danger of rogue waves is that they are such sudden and unpredictable events that can appear without warning, there is only so much action a crew can take to avoid them.

Remember, in the event of a ship being damaged by a hit, cruise ships are equipped with enough liferafts and lifeboats for everyone .

Rest assured, cruise ship captains are some of the best ship captains in the world and your safety is paramount.

What Would Happen if a Rogue Wave Hit a Large Cruise Ship?

Many people wonder what would happen if a cruise ship was hit by one of the largest ever rogue waves.

There are many videos online of large waves hitting cruise ships, but they are just that large waves, nothing like being hit by a true rogue wave.

While there is no video evidence of a rogue wave hitting a cruise ship, the scenario has been played out on the big screen with huge modern-day cruise ships like those built by Royal Caribbean, such as Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas.

Rogue Waves Hitting Cruises Ships

For those curious this clip from the movie Poseidon shows a rogue wave hitting a cruise ship and causing it to capsize.

Although it’s worth noting, this is pure fiction, and the size of the rogue wave is highly exaggerated in relation to the size of the ship.  In reality, a rogue wave has never capsized a modern cruise ship.

A  huge rogue wave has hit a passenger ocean liner (Queen Elizabeth 2), which came away relatively unscathed.

What Happens After Being Hit By a Rogue Wave?

Although the video below doesn’t show the cruise ship being hit by the rogue wave, it does re-enact the moment and includes real video footage of passengers dealing with the aftermath.

How Big of a Wave can a Cruise Ship Handle?

Modern cruise ships typically handle waves of up to 50 feet.

Cruise ships typically encounter waves of 10 to 15ft without most passengers barely realizing it. 

What Are the Chances of a Rogue Wave Hitting a Ship 

There are typically over 310 cruise ships sailing at any given time, with an estimated 25 million people taking a cruise each year.

The odds of a rogue wave hitting a cruise ship are extremely low, which is why we never hear of the event occurring.

Rogue wave events are relatively rare given the size of the oceans combined, and when they do happen often, there are no ships within the vicinity, let alone a cruise ship.

Can a Cruise Ship Survive a Rogue Wave?

While it’s very unlikely a rogue wave will hit a cruise ship, if one did, the chances are that the ship would survive as has been the case in the real-life examples we covered above.

The design of the cruise ships keeps them afloat in the roughest of seas would see them through, although a rogue wave far exceeds the usual expectations a cruise ship is expected to encounter.

How to Survive a Rogue Wave on a Cruise Ship?

As a passenger on a cruise ship potentially being hit by a rogue wave, the safest place to be would be your stateroom, this will help protect you from being thrown around or hit by flying debris, falling decor, or sliding furniture.

Stairwells and hallways are also safer locations to gather as there is less chance of being thrown larger distances and being hit by falling or moving objects. This is where students were told to gather on the MV Explorer after it was hit by a rogue wave and the ship lost propulsion amidst very stormy seas.

If you are on deck, hold on to something sturdy and stay low to the ground.

Pay close attention to listening out for any instructions from the captain over the loudspeakers. Passengers may be asked to put on lifevests and possibly make their way to the deck with the lifeboats if abandoning the ship is a possibility.

What Size Rogue Wave can Sink a Cruise Ship?

Cruise ships come in all sizes, from carrying just a few hundred passengers to those that can accommodate over 6,000 guests.

The chance of a rogue wave sinking any size cruise ship is highly remote.  The size of the rogue wave would have to be more than 70-100ft and hit the cruise at precisely the right angle.  Even then, it’s possible the ship would remain afloat as they are designed to do so.

The larger the cruise ship, the more stable it is in the water and the less chance of it being sunk by a rogue wave.

The main cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Norwegian, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and even Disney, have never had a ship even hit by a rogue wave and are of such sizes they should cope well if ever they were to encounter one.

However, as we covered above, one of Holland America’s cruise ships, the MS Prinsendam, was hit in 2007.

How is a Rogue Wave Different from a Tsunami?

A rogue wave is a one-off, large ocean wave that is not caused by an earthquake like a tsunami.   They can appear out of nowhere and without warning but only last briefly.

Tsunamis are often caused by the movement of land, usually an ocean floor, that leads to a massive displacement of water and causes the seas to move at high speeds over a large area.

Unlike rogue waves, tsunamis can be barely noticeable on the surfaces of the seas.  This makes them no threat to ships out at sea but can cause devastation to coastal areas as the waves increase in size as they come ashore.

Any cruise ships in ports or harbors would be at risk of being damaged in the path of a tsunami reaching land.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do rogue waves occur most often.

Rogue waves are known to occur in the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the southeast coast of South Africa.

How Many Ships Have Sunk Because of Rogue Waves?

While no cruise ships have been sunk by rogue waves, other types of ships have.

One of them was the Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald which is thought to have been hit by a rogues wave on Lake Superior, one of the more expensive Lakes cruises . Although thankfully, not caused any cruise ships to sink on the Great lakes.

This also highlights that rogue waves don’t just pose a risk at sea but on any open body of water.

The only other instance of a rogue wave sinking a ship was when the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat, sank on the coast of  Nova Scotia in 1991 where a series of buoys reported a wave 100.7 feet high !

You can find a full list of ship and rogue events here , the vast majority of which did not sink.

How Many Ships Have Capsized Due to Rogue Waves?

Since the year 2000, they have only been a couple of reports of boats and ships capsizing by rogue waves, and neither were cruise ships.

The only ship was in November 2000 when a 56ft research vessel, the R/V Ballena, was struck by a rogue wave near Point Conception off Santa Barbara, California.   The ship was destroyed, but all the crew managed to survive.

Related Posts

• How do Cruise Ships Get Into the Water – Find out how cruise ships are launched.
• Can You Fish off a Cruise Ship?

While rogue waves are an interesting topic, the chance of one hitting a cruise ship is so remote it’s not something to be of concern.

Cruise ships are designed to withstand huge waves and the roughest seas in storms, so even if a rogue wave did hit, the ship would remain afloat, and damage would be minimal.

What is the Draft of a Cruise Ship? (and Why Does it Matter?)

How Many Doors on a Cruise Ship? (Yes, I Counted)

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Subscribe Now

Philippines bars its seafarers from some vessels in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden

Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

INFILTRATION. A Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023.

Houthi Military Media via Reuters

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has barred the deployment of Filipino seafarers to passenger and cruise vessels traversing the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced on Wednesday, April 24.

The Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea were earlier designated by the International Bargaining Forum as warlike zones.

“All Filipino seafarers to be employed for passenger/cruise vessels shall not be allowed to traverse on the abovementioned zones effective immediately,” the DMW’s Department Order (DO) No. 2 reads.

The two areas have been sites of violence amid conflict in the region, particularly the war between Israel and Hamas, coupled with incidents involving the Yemeni Houthi rebels and Iran.

At least two Filipinos have been killed so far in the tensions. They were seafarers aboard bulk carrier True Confidence, which Houthi rebels attacked in the Gulf of Aden in March.

The DMW directed all licensed manning agencies of Filipino seafarers to write an affirmation letter that the ship their workers will board will not pass through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, and indicate the itinerary every time the agencies document employment contracts of their crew prior to deployment.

The seafarers employed by the manning agencies must also sign these letters, confirming they know that their vessel will not traverse the warlike zones.

LOOK: The Philippines bars its seafarers from being deployed to passenger and cruise vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These two areas have been the site of violence amid conflict in the region, with at least two OFWs killed so far. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/990xSrm39H — Michelle Abad (@michelleabad_) April 24, 2024

While the DO covers passenger and cruise ships, cargo ships are excluded. Cargo ships with Filipinos are the usual vessels that have been reported attacked or affected by the regional conflict.

The Galaxy Leader cargo ship, for instance, has on board 17 Filipino seafarers who have been hostaged by the Houthi rebels since November 2023.

DMW spokesperson Toby Nebrida said a subsequent advisory for vessels that are not passenger or cruise ships isn’t expected yet.

Filipino seafarers working on cargo ships that will traverse the designated high-risk and warlike zones have the right to refuse sailing . If they choose to embark on the journey, they are entitled to double compensation, bonuses, and other benefits like repatriation covered by their company.

The DMW earlier said that manning agencies not reporting ships with Filipino seafarers passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden will face sanctions in the Philippines. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines .

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

How does this make you feel?

Related Topics

Michelle Abad

Recommended stories, {{ item.sitename }}, {{ item.title }}, israel-hamas war, us, 17 other countries urge hamas to release hostages, end gaza crisis.

Israel steps up strikes across Gaza, orders new evacuations in north

President downplays Liza Marcos-Sara Duterte rift | The wRap 

Israel military strikes northern Gaza in heaviest shelling in weeks

Checking your Rappler+ subscription...

Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access.

Why is it important to subscribe? Learn more

You are subscribed to Rappler+

I went on 2 of Royal Caribbean's largest and newest cruise ships. I enjoyed them, but they're not for everyone.

• I've sailed on Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships , Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas.
• Both megaships are jam-packed with people, amenities, and dining options.
• But if you want a quiet cruise to unique destinations, they might not be for you.

Before booking a vacation at sea, travelers should always research the best cruise line and ship for their needs.

If you're looking for a cheap and fast trip, try Margaritaville at Sea . Craving something more upscale? Consider Oceania Cruises.

But if you're looking for high-end sailing to unique destinations, I'd suggest avoiding Royal Caribbean's megaships .

Royal Caribbean has become synonymous with giant, family-friendly cruise ships

By 2028, Royal Caribbean wants one-third of its fleet to be megaships.

The latest addition, the 1,196-foot-long and 248,663-gross-ton Icon of the Seas, entered service in January, unseating Wonder of the Seas as the world's largest cruise liner.

Together, the two vessels can fit over 19,000 people — about 4,500 crew and 14,500 guests. Each ship has eight neighborhoods and there are 29 bars and 48 eateries between them.

I've attended complimentary sailings on both Wonder and Icon, the longest of which was three nights on the latter. From their colorful pool decks to the inescapable crowds, as a solo-adult traveler, I was equal parts entertained, overwhelmed, and overstimulated.

Related stories

But admittedly, I had fun. I do love a good waterslide; Wonder has three of them and Icon has six.

If you want to go on a cruise with your children — and if they, like me, love activities like rock climbing and mini golf — Royal Caribbean's megaships could be your best option.

Wonder and Icon are jam-packed with activity spaces like ice-skating rinks and ziplines.

But don't expect a peaceful retreat. The rowdy, bar-hopping adults and screaming children at the water playground aren't conducive to a relaxing vacation.

Megavessels might not be for you if you want a quiet cruise

If you want a relaxing vacation — maybe one that doesn't involve crowds of children — you shouldn't stay on either Royal Caribbean yacht.

There are many ways to have a luxury vacation on Icon of the Seas . But unless you want to pay for upcharged amenities at every turn, you'd be better off spending more upfront to reserve a premium cruise line — especially if you're interested in cruising for the destinations, not the ships.

After all, like most of Royal Caribbean's largest vessels, Icon and Wonder exclusively sail in the Caribbean.

Some destinations, such as French Polynesia, have set restrictions on which cruises can travel there amid concerns about pollution and overcrowding.

If stopping at these ports — or, really, anywhere outside the Caribbean — is at the top of your vacation wish list, you'll have to travel on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship or go with a different cruise line like Oceania , Silversea, and Regent Seven Seas.

You might not get a waterpark, but you'll get a quieter vacation to locations no megaship will likely be allowed to visit.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

• Main content

MORE SECTIONS

• Dear Deidre
• Visual Stories

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters
• Deliver my newspaper
• Sun Vouchers
• The Sun Digital Newspaper

Brit warship HMS Diamond blasts Houthi missile out of the sky in Red Sea for first time after rebel attack on cargo ship

• Jerome Starkey
• Published : 17:18, 25 Apr 2024
• Updated : 19:03, 25 Apr 2024

A ROYAL Navy warship has shot down a ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the first time.

HMS Diamond unleashed its devastating Sea Viper system to blast the missile out of the sky, Grant Shapps told The Times.

It was the first time in more than three decades that British warships had engaged an enemy missile in anger.

The Type 45 air defence destroyer was protecting a merchant vessel attacked in the Red Sea on Wednesday.

The vessel had shot down several drones including seven in one night in January.

But it was the first time a Royal Navy warship has shot down a ballistic missile since 1991, during the first Gulf War.

Read more in World News

Vlad's troops 'shaking with fear' after US send 'game-changing' missile to Kyiv

US sends missiles to Ukraine to hit Russia & they've already wiped out airbase

Shapps said: "A commercial ship came under attack by a ballistic missile and HMS Diamond shot down that missile using Sea Viper."

Each Sea Viper missile costs over £1million.

Shapps said the attack proved how dangerous the world had become.

He said rebel groups like the Houthis were bristling with "very sophisticated weapons" from sponsors such as Iran .

Most read in The Sun

Moment brit mum is sucker-punched & knocked to ground by thai security guard.

How teacher confessed to slaughtering cheat boyfriend in chilling diary entries

Shocking moment airport owner, 65, drags councillor by hair in tree felling row

Ryan Giggs to become dad for 3rd time aged 50 with model, 36

He claimed the incident proved that Rishi Sunak was right to ramp up spending on defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.

Shapps added: “That gives an indication of a changed world and why the 2.5 per cent is so vital.”

HMS Diamond was deployed to the Red Sea alongside a US carrier group to protect merchant shipping and Israel from Iran-backed attacks.

It can track hundreds of objects the size of a tennis ball from hundreds of miles away with its iconic Samson radar.

Houthi rebels are armed with Iran’s Fateh missiles which can reach over 400 miles.

The Houthis boasted yesterday that they had targeted the Maersk Yorktown ship and an American warship destroyer in the Gulf of Aden.

HMS Diamond fired Sea Viper missiles and its close in Phalanx machine guns to shoot down several drones before rotating with frigate HMS Richmond.

The smaller UK warship shot down a pair of drones using its smaller Sea Ceptor missiles.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, which they say are in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza .

In January,   HMS Diamond  was forced to defend itself with Sea Viper missiles as the militants continued their relentless campaign of attacks .

The enormous warship used its formidable Sea Viper missiles to take down the rebel threat in the clash on Saturday.

The same ship has been forced to take on Houthi fighters before as they continue their relentless campaign of aggression in  one of the world's busiest shipping lanes .

Who are the Houthis?

THE Houthi rebels are terrorising the Red Sea by launching persistent missile and drone attacks on vessels and warships - but who are they?

The Shia militant group, which now controls most of Yemen, spent over a decade being largely ignored by the world.

However, since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war, they sprung from relative obscurity to  holding roughly £1trillion of world trade  hostage - turning one of the world's busiest  shipping lanes into an active warzone.

Their warped slogan is “Death to America, Death to Israel, curse the Jews and victory to Islam”.

Why are they attacking ships?

The rebel group has been launching relentless drone and missile attacks on any ships - including warships - they deem to be connected with Israel in solidarity with their ally, Hamas.

However, in reality, there have been  frequent attacks on commercial vessels  with little or no link to Israel - forcing global sea traffic to halt operations in the region and sending shipping prices soaring.

The sea assaults have threatened to ignite a full-blown war in the Middle East as intense ripples from Israel's war in Gaza are felt across the region - with Iran suspected of stoking the chaos.

Houthi attacks in the Red Sea increased by 50 per cent between November and December as the rebel group's chiefs pledged their assaults would continue until Israel stopped its offensive in Gaza.

And despite repeated threats from the West and joint US and UK strikes blitzing their strongholds in Yemen - Iran's emboldened terror proxy appears undeterred.

Just a few days before the January blitz, HMS Diamond and American warships launched a coordinated attack after the Houthis launched their biggest assault .

The US Central Command said the "complex attack" included bomb-carrying  drones , anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile.

It said 18 drones, two cruise missiles and the anti-ship missile were downed by F-18s from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, American Arleigh Burke-class destroyers the USS Gravely, the USS Laboon and the USS Mason, as well as the UK's HMS Diamond.

HMS Diamond blasted seven of the 18 drones out of the sky.

It was at least the second time the Type 45 destroyer had deployed its devastating Sea Viper missiles and the first time it had used its deck-mounted anti-aircraft cannon to blast targets at much closer range.

The crew shot down at least some of the drones with the ship's 30mm DS-30B cannon.

The weapon can fire up to 650 rounds per minute and hit fast moving aircraft at more than 1.7miles away.

Defence Secretary  Grant Shapps  said it was the biggest attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date.

He believes HMS Diamond was "deliberately targeted" by the rebels.

"Deploying Sea Viper missiles and guns, Diamond destroyed multiple attack drones heading for her and commercial shipping in the area," Mr Shapps said.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Boy, 5, killed after being hit by Ford Fiesta on busy road in horror smash

Iconic 90s shop to return to more high streets this year after disappearing

"The UK alongside allies have previously made clear that these illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and if continued the Houthis will bear the consequences."

He confirmed there were no injuries or damage to Diamond and her crew.

How the UK & US have massed a Red Sea fleet

BRITISH and US warships have been readied to blitz Houthi rebels in the Red Sea as tensions hit boiling point in the Middle East.

In December 2023, the US launched a multinational joint-military coalition called Operation Prosperity Guardian to respond to the threats posed by the Houthis in the Red Sea.

The US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin announced the international maritime security force will aim to end the rebel blockade and counter Houthis' threats around international trade in the area.

So far, the US has deployed its Carrier Strike Group 2 in the Red Sea which includes the flagship aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower - and its escorting Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Gravely, USS Laboon and USS Mason.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond joined the US-led coalition to ramp up the counter-offensive against the Houthis.

Retired Rear-Admiral Chris Parry spoke to The Sun about how the UK and US have prepared their warships to attack Houthi rebels and put them through a storm of over 600 missiles.

He said: "The warships have a very sophisticated radar detection system.

"It's got a main radar that can detect all sorts of contacts, hundreds of them out to about 400 kilometres, and it's got a very sophisticated fire control system."

Chris praised the warship for its specially designed Falcon phalanx Gatling gun that can fire up to 600 rounds a minute as well as having a high number of small calibre weapons on board.

He called it "one of the best anti-air platforms in the world".

Chris continued: "I think right now the warships are coping pretty admirably with the Houthis' threat.

"You've got an American strike carrier there between the carrier and her battle group with over 600 missiles and possibly even more."

• Israel Hamas war

DMW bans deployment of Pinoy seafarers to Red Sea, Gulf of Aden-bound passenger, cruise ships

Filipino seafarers will no longer be allowed to be deployed on passenger and cruise ships that would sail through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden which were earlier declared as high-risk areas and war-like zones amid missile attacks on passing ships in the past months.

In an order it issued, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the prohibition is part of its mandate to ensure safety of Filipino seafarers, especially that some of the attacks carried out resulted in deaths and injuries to Filipino sailors.

“The DMW remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of Filipino seafarers. These measures reflect the DMW’s dedication to ensuring safe working conditions and protecting our seafaring workforce,” it said.

The DMW order also comes from collective discussions during last month's meeting with the DMW and the Philippine Maritime Industry Tripartite Council (MITC) wherein both parties agreed to underscore the urgent need for stricter protocols to ensure the safety of Filipino seafarers navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. 

Under the Department Order 2, Licensed Manning Agencies (LMAs) must sign an “affirmation letter” guaranteeing that the vessels their seafarers board will not navigate the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden. 

The DMW said the letter, along with the vessel’s detailed itinerary, must be submitted to the DMW during the documentation of crew employment contracts or before their deployment.

The same order also mandates that Filipino seafarers listed as crew members onboard the vessels must also sign the affirmation letter acknowledging their vessel will not enter the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden;

The affirmation letter executed by the LMAs with the seafarers' consent, according to the DMW, must be uploaded to the DMW’s Online Processing System for Sea-based (DOPS-Sea) together with the processed Standard Employment Contract (SEC). 

“This stringent measure ensures a transparent process, fostering accountability and compliance with the new safety protocols,” the DMW statement read.