A freak wave rocked a Royal Caribbean Cruises ship, causing one passenger to be disembarked for medical treatment. A sudden squall off the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean caused the Explorer of the Seas to list sharply.
One Ship Guest Taken Off the Ship for Medical Treatment
This led to upturned furniture, which caused some damage and a moment of panic, according to subsequent social media posts. The ship called to the island of Gran Canaria for a guest to receive medical treatment.
“During an unexpected wind gust near Tenerife, Spain, one of our sailings experienced sudden movement. One of our guests was injured and requires additional medical care, so the ship will make a call in Las Palmas, Spain for a medical disembarkation,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said. “We are communicating these changes directly with our guests.”
The Explorer of the Seas ship had departed Barcelona, Spain on a transatlantic crossing to Miami, Florida. Guest Jonathan Parrish said the ship took a “hard right turn and then a more intense turn.” The captain then ordered all guests to return to their staterooms for a manual headcount.
The captain later informed guests the ship had been caught in an unexpected wind squall of about 80mph.
Online posts described disarray and momentary panic with overturned tables and broken glass in public areas. However, several comments praised the crew’s response to the incident.
Ship’s Arrival in Miami is Now Delayed
Royal Caribbean issued an update, saying the unscheduled stop in the Canary Islands will delay the ship’s arrival in PortMiami by three days. It is now expected to dock on November 17. This will impact the Caribbean cruise scheduled for November 14 out of Miami.
