100 cruise ship passengers injured during stormy weather
Spirit of Discovery was returning to Portsmouth
Last updated 7th Nov 2023
Around 100 passengers have been injured after a cruise ship which sailed out of Portsmouth was caught in stormy weather.
Five suffered more serious injuries and needed treatment in the medical centre on board Saga Cruises' Spirit of Discovery.
The ship was on a 14-night Canary Islands cruise when the decision was taken to return to Portsmouth early because of worsening weather conditions.
The injuries happened when the ship's propulsion safety system was activated in the Bay of Biscay, causing it to veer suddenly to the left - effectively bringing it to a halt.
The ship returned to Portsmouth International Port on Monday evening.
A spokesperson for Saga Cruises said: " Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK.
"The ship remained safe at all times, but due to the impact of the storm some guests sustained injuries.
"All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.
"While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected."