PASSENGERS aboard a cruise ship have been injured off the coast of the Canary Islands with 100 affected and five in critical condition.
The Saga Cruises ship, Spirit of Discovery, was caught in a storm in the Bay of Biscay during a 14-night journey around the Canary Islands.
The cruise began on October 24 and was caught in the storm on Saturday, November 4.
The ship had to cancel a visit to Las Palmas due to the bad weather and was heading towards La Corona when the port was shut.
Hit by gale force winds and 30ft waves, the crew made the difficult decision to return to the UK after the ship’s propulsion safety system was activated due to the weather conditions, causing a sudden jolt to the left before the ship stopped completely.
The abrupt stop saw 100 of the vessel’s 1000 guests suffering ‘minor injuries’.
However, some passengers were not so lucky and five people were treated for more serious injuries by the ship’s medical staff.
The Spirit of Discovery arrived back in the UK on Monday, November 6, in the evening. Docking at Portsmouth, Saga Cruises has not confirmed if any passengers have required further treatment since the incident.
According to a spokesperson: “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 who are now safely back, having sailed home in calmer seas.”
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