Freak wave hits cruise ship

A freak wave, measuring 21 metres high, struck the 92,250gt Norwegian Dawn owned by the Norwegian Cruise Line while sailing from Miami and the Bahamas to New York. Built in 2002, the 294 metre long 2,200 passenger cruise ship was forced into a South Carolina port for repairs after the drama at the weekend.

The wave smashed two windows on deck 10 and 9 flooding more than 62 cabins and injuring four passengers with cuts and bruises. Many more passengers lost property to water damage while furniture, the theater and a store that sold expensive gifts were destroyed. “The safety and integrity of the ship was in no way compromised by this incident,” a spokesperson for the company said. The US Coast Guard escorted the ship into port for repairs in Charleston, where some passengers disembarked and were flown home. The ship later left the port and was on its way to New York.

All passengers would be given a partial refund, a credit for a future trip and access to the ship’s open bar.