An investigation has been opened in Italy after an MSC cruise ship broke its mooring and slammed into a small boat in the marina.
The accident with MSC Sinfonia reportedly sank two boats and damaged others and the marina’s piers in Syracuse, Italy.
Investigation into Incident
The cruise ship had no passengers aboard as it was at the port for maintenance work. It took four tug boats to return it to its mooring. It broke away in strong winds of around 45 miles per hour.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Syracuse opened a case, probing possible negligence. Overall damage at the marina is “extensive,” but no one has been injured.
The investigation into the January 6 incident is expected to take several weeks or months. It is unclear if any damage was sustained to MSC Sinfonia.
“The ship was in lay-up without any passengers, and no injuries were reported,” an MSC Cruises spokesperson said. “MSC Sinfonia has been safely returned to her mooring.”
Similar Incident with Norwegian Prima
MSC Sinfonia is scheduled to return to service on March 24. It will then offer a series of week-long Eastern Mediterranean cruises.
A day before the MSC Sinfonia incident, another cruise ship broke free of its moorings in high winds, heavy rain, and lightning. This happened to the Norwegian Prima at Galveston, Texas. No damage or injuries were reported.
The following video was captured by an onlooker.
