Luxury cruise ship crashes with freight vessel during intense storm in Spain’s Mallorca: Reports

A luxury cruise ship broke free from moorings and collided with a freight vessel during an intense storm in Mallorca, Spain, BBC reports.

Passengers on Britannia, a P&O Cruises ship based in Southampton, described “being pushed ashore by tugs whilst confined to our cabins” after the incident, in which a walkway fell away, the report said.

The captain of the ship told passengers there was “no structural compromise”.

P&O said it was assessing the situation in the Balearic Islands,.

Holidaymakers were left stranded after gales sent the Britannia hurtling into another vessel in the Balearics. It was reported that a storm “suddenly hit” the island with heavy rain and hail accompanied by strong 55 MPH gusts. The huge £473m ship is currently said to be anchored less than a mile from the shore following the accident.

Passengers were told “this is not a drill”, by the captain earlier after they heard a loud bang and saw debris floating in the water. Terrifying footage shows poolside furniture being tossed around as frantic staff attempted to calm customers on board the 140,000-tonne ship, the report added.

A “small number” of passengers are being cared for onboard after sustaining “minor injuries”, P&O said in a statement. There were conflicting reports that guests were ordered to report to their emergency points, known as muster stations.