Inside Saga cruise hell: Passenger on board storm-lashed ship died and 100 others were injured after it was pounded by 30ft waves
A passenger on board a cruise died and more than 100 others were injured after the ship was hit by a 30ft wave, a report has revealed.
The Spirit of Discovery liner was travelling back to Britain along the Bay of Biscay on November 4, 2023 when it was battered by storm-force winds.
This saw in eight people raced to hospital once the ship arrived at Portsmouth in Hampshire.
At the time, passengers told of how they had to 'hold on for dear life' when the storm lashed at the luxury liner seeing it 'veer and shutter to a halt'.
An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has now revealed one of the passengers treated in hospital later died from their injuries.
Prior to the ship being whipped by winds, the Spirit of Discovery, operated by Saga Cruises, had to cancel a visit to Las Palmas as the weather worsened and was instead heading towards La Corona when that port was closed because of the conditions.
A passenger on board died and more than 100 others were injured after the Spirit of Discovery (pictured) was hit by a 30ft wave last year, a report has revealed
The Spirit of Discovery liner was travelling back to Britain along the Bay of Biscay on November 4, 2023 when it was battered by storm-force winds
At the time, passengers told of how people on board were screaming for their lives as 30ft waves battered the windows
A Saga Cruises statement said: 'Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK'
The crew made the decision to return to the UK when the ship's propulsion safety system was activated in the poor weather causing it to veer suddenly to the left, bringing the vessel to a sudden halt.
The MAIB report states that there were 943 passengers and 503 crew on board when the ship, which had sailed from Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands faced force 11 winds and a sea state rated 8 for very high.
It said: 'At about 1230 on 4 November 2023, the passenger vessel Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion in heavy weather while crossing the Bay of Biscay.
'This led to the vessel moving violently while the crew restarted the vessel's propulsion.
'The propulsion issues, storm force conditions and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage.
'During this period over 100 passengers were injured. Eight of the seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital on arrival at Portsmouth, England, one of whom later died from their injuries.'
The report continues: 'The MAIB's investigation has considered all aspects of the accident to determine the causes and circumstances of Spirit of Discovery's loss of propulsion in heavy weather and the on-board response, including analysis of the vessel's intended passage, preparations for operating in heavy weather, the on-board response to passenger injuries and damage, and the medical treatment of injured passengers.'
The interim report states that the investigation is nearly complete and a full report will then be issued for consultation with the parties involved.
Passengers onboard the vessel described the terrifying moment they were told to either 'remain seated or lie down' as they were forced to 'hold on for dear life'.
People were 'thrown' by the force of the emergency stop and pictures show books, tables and other furniture flung to the ground as the intense storm gripped the ship.
Jan Bendall, 75, who was travelling with her husband, said the ship then remained stationary for 15 hours in the middle of the storm.
The dining room was converted into a makeshift medical area, while passengers were instructed to stay in their cabins for much of the following two days.
Other passengers reported hearing the captain sound 'physically scared' as he spoke to them, while crew members were crying and others 'feared for their lives', however Ms Bendall said that staff onboard were 'absolutely fantastic'.
Richard Reynolds, whose wife and elderly parents was on the ship, described people on board screaming for their lives as 30ft waves battered the windows.
Labelling the experience as 'horrendous', he said passengers were left fearing they were going to die on the stricken vessel. His mother had a fall and was treated at the medical centre onboard.
Prior to the incident, the Spirit of Discovery (pictured), operated by Saga Cruises, had to cancel a visit to Las Palmas as the weather worsened and was instead heading towards La Corona when that port was closed because of the conditions
The passenger said people were screaming and furniture and plates and glass were flying in every direction
Some were confined to their cabins where passengers wrote final messages to family members on their phones and wore lifejackets non-stop for two days in case the ship capsized
Saga Cruises said in a statement following the incident: 'Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK.
'The ship remained safe at all times but, due to the impact of the storm, some guests sustained injuries.
'All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.
'While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely back, having sailed home in calmer seas.'
A spokeswoman for Saga said all guests on the trip had been offered a full refund and added: 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the family of our guest who died following the storm in the Bay of Biscay last year.
'We are continuing to work with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, supporting their investigation.'
