A Norwegian Cruise Line passenger was knocked into the water as strong winds caused the ship to blow away from the pier.
The passenger was trying to disembark the Norwegian Epic in Catania, Sicily, on May 30, when a strong gust of wind knocked the ship away from the pier, causing the passenger to topple into the water.
“On duty crew members were able to immediately assist the guest from the water and see that they were evaluated by the medical team,” a spokesperson for the cruise line told USA Today.
“It was determined that they sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for further examination and treatment,” the spokesperson added.
At the time, wind gusts were up to 45 mph, according to AccuWeather.
After the passenger’s fall, the ship stopped allowing passengers to disembark until the weather improved and it could resume docking.
“During this interruption, our crew were actively attending to our guests until they were able to re-embark the ship,” the spokesperson added. “As always the safety of our guests and crew is our top priority.”
The ship is currently on a 10-day excursion that started in Rome with stops in Italy, Greece, Malta and France, according to CruiseMapper.
The incident is not the first time wind has caused issues on cruise ships. In February 2024, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Magic ship struck a pier in Jamaica during high winds.
In November 2024, a Royal Caribbean ship suffered severe damage inside after bad weather rocked the vessel as it traveled from Barcelona to Miami. The “unexpected wind gust” caused the ship to jerk, sending glass bottles smashing and furniture toppling.
One passenger was injured in that incident.
