britannia cruise ship crash palma

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Mallorca: P&O ship with thousands of Britons onboard collides with tanker

Cruise vessel’s mooring ropes snapped in high winds, which blew liner into nearby oil transport ship off coast of Palma

A P&O cruise ship carrying thousands of British holidaymakers has crashed into an oil tanker off the coast of Palma in Mallorca after it snapped its moorings.

The Britannia was blown by gales towards the other vessel on Sunday after a storm battered the island in the Balearics. P&O said a small number of people had sustained minor injuries.

It was understood that 321 guests from the ship will be flying home early as it heads back to Southampton with a reduced number of people on board, as required by maritime law.

Ricky Stubbs, a passenger, said he and his children had been about to disembark when the crash happened.

“We were at the stairwell next to the sunset bar,” he said. “A loud crash came from the bar and the door flung open with people running in. Within seconds there was more crashing followed by chaos as people were trying to escape the onslaught of wind and rain.

“People were being ushered in by other guests and staff. You could clearly see some had injuries due to either falling over or debris flying around, and people were distraught.

“A couple of minutes later the captain came over the speaker asking all guest to return to their rooms until further instructions.”

Stubbs said the passengers had been told they would be staying overnight while the boat was moored up so the damage could be assessed.

“Huge respect for the captain and all the staff as they managed to stay calm and keep everyone updated,” he said. “The captain made announcements every 10-15 minutes once we were back in our cabins and they did a great job in a stressful situation.”

The £473m ship, which entered service in 2015, is the flagship of the P&O fleet.

A P&O Cruises spokesperson said: “On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was impacted by severe weather when alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

“Following inspections, our third-party surveyor has confirmed that one of Britannia’s lifeboats has sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard.

“We are so sorry but these extraordinary circumstances mean that the ship is required, by maritime regulation, to return to Southampton with a reduced number of people onboard.

“A limited number of guests and crew on board have been advised that they will be leaving the ship and will be returned to Southampton (or their starting point) by flight and transfer. The guests remaining onboard will be able to enjoy the entertainment and activities scheduled for the remainder of their trip.”

Mallorca had been experiencing winds of 75mph and torrential rains, which caused sun loungers to be blown into the air. An amber weather alert was in place across the whole of the island and had been extended until midnight on Sunday.

The Tramuntana region and the north and north-east of the island were most likely to be affected, forecasters said.

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Hundreds of passengers forced to fly home early after P&O Cruises ship collision

The p&o cruise ship britannia collided with another vessel during severe weather in palma de mallorca, article bookmarked.

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Hundreds of passengers are to leave a P&O cruise ship early after it collided with another boat during severe weather in Palma de Mallorca.

Britannia reportedly came free from its mooring during the storm and was involved in a bump with another vessel on Sunday.

A small number of people sustained minor injuries and were cared for by the onboard medical centre, a P&O Cruises spokesperson said.

Inspections revealed that one of the lifeboats sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard, the spokesperson added.

This means the ship has to return to Southampton with a reduced number of passengers.

It is understood 321 people will be flying home early.

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A P&O Cruises spokesman said: “On Sunday August 27, P&O Cruises Britannia was impacted by severe weather when alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

“Following inspections, our third-party surveyor has confirmed that one of Britannia’s lifeboats has sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard.

“We are so sorry but these extraordinary circumstances mean that the ship is required, by maritime regulation, to return to Southampton with a reduced number of people on board.

“A limited number of guests and crew on board have been advised that they will be leaving the ship and will be returned to Southampton (or their starting point) by flight and transfer.

“The guests remaining on board will be able to enjoy the entertainment and activities scheduled for the remainder of their trip.”

Britannia departed from Palma de Mallorca on Monday and is expected to reach Southampton on Friday, the spokesman added.

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Passengers on a cruise described the sheer chaos that broke out when their ship collided with an oil tanker: 'There was screaming and shouting and panic'

• Tourists on board a cruise recounted the moments their ship struck an oil tanker on Sunday.
• The 3,647-passenger ship was blown away from port by a vicious storm while docked in Mallorca.
• Strong winds caused the ship to break its moorings and drift into the nearby tanker.

Passengers on a cruise ship swept away from port are sharing what happened in the dramatic moment their vessel struck an oil tanker in the Balearic Islands.

The Britannia, a vessel under P&O Cruises, drifted into the tanker on Sunday after its moorings broke during a storm along the coast of Palma in Mallorca. The Britannia has a 3,647-passenger capacity, and is 1,082 feet long . 

One tourist on board, Ricky Stubbs, told The Guardian that he and his family were on a stairwell near the sunset bar when the ships collided.

"A loud crash came from the bar and the door flung open with people running in," he told the outlet. "Within seconds there was more crashing followed by chaos as people were trying to escape the onslaught of wind and rain."

Stubbs said he could "clearly see" some passengers had sustained injuries, and that people were "distraught."

Minutes later, the captain told guests over the ship's speakers to return to their rooms, Stubbs told The Guardian.

Russ Dawson, another passenger, told the BBC that the storm kicked up suddenly and that the sky "turned black."

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He was on the balcony of his cabin when the cruise vessel and tanker crashed, per the outlet.

"There was a bang when it hit the boat and there was screaming and shouting and panic," Dawson told the BBC.

A Welsh passenger, who was not named, told Wales Online that she, her partner, and two children were "browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang."

"It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out," she said, per the outlet. "We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat."

A video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed the view from port as the Britannia's moorings appeared to snap while the ship was pulled away by winds.

—Insider Corner (@insidercnews) August 27, 2023

"A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre," a P&O representative previously told Insider in a statement.

One of the Britannia's lifeboats was damaged, meaning the cruise was required to return to Southampton with a "reduced number of people onboard," and some passengers and crew were told they had to leave the ship, per the statement.

The BBC reported on Tuesday that 321 passengers were scheduled to fly back to Southampton.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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Hundreds of passengers to be flown home after P&O cruise liner 'crashed into petrol tanker'

More than 300 passengers will leave the ship after a small number of people were injured during a "weather-related" incident off the coast of Mallorca on Sunday.

Monday 28 August 2023 20:56, UK

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More than 300 guests who were on board a P&O cruise liner which reportedly crashed into a petrol tanker will have their holiday cut short and be flown home.

A small number of people were injured in the "weather-related" incident in Mallorca on Sunday - with footage taken by a passenger showing fierce gusts sweeping across the waves from the ship's window.

The P&O ship, which moored off the coast of the Spanish island, will return to Southampton on Friday morning with a reduced number of passengers, a spokesperson for the company has said.

They added that this was because one of the ship's lifeboats had "sustained structural issues" and therefore maritime regulations meant it would have to return to the UK.

The ship, called Britannia, was carrying thousands of passengers but 321 of them will now leave the ship and be flown back to their original starting point.

The nationality of those who will return is not clear but some will be flown to Southampton.

The rest of the guests will conclude their trip on Friday as planned.

Storm in Palma Mallorca breaks it’s moorings and pushes P&O Britannia into another ship and onto rocks. Ship not compromised and being pushed back into position by tugs pic.twitter.com/0RbdQIhPRT — Stephen Marsh (@millermanuk) August 27, 2023

Port authorities in the Mallorca capital Palma said Britannia had collided with a petrol tanker.

In a statement, P&O said its Britannia ship "was impacted by severe weather when alongside in Palma de Mallorca" on Sunday.

"Following inspections, our third-party surveyor has confirmed that one of Britannia's lifeboats has sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard," it added.

"We are so sorry but these extraordinary circumstances mean that the ship is required, by maritime regulation, to return to Southampton with a reduced number of people on board."

The spokesperson said "a limited number of guests and crew" had been advised they would be leaving the ship and would be flown back to their starting point.

Read more UK news: Passengers face severe delays after air traffic control fault Glitch 'remedied' but flights cancelled - air traffic control chaos latest

P&O Cruises had earlier told Sky News on Sunday that the ship was involved in a "weather-related incident" alongside the port in Palma.

The company added that a "small number of people" sustained minor injuries and were being treated by their onboard medical team.

Britannia, which entered service in 2015, is 330 metres long and weights 143,000 tons, according to the company's website.

It has 13 guest decks and an operating capacity of 3,647 guests and 1,350 crew.

Southampton-based P&O cruise ship Britannia crashes in Spain during storm

• Cruise ship
• Monday 28 August 2023 at 2:05pm

A cruise ship which left Southampton earlier this month has crashed after its moorings snapped in stormy weather.

A number of passengers onboard have suffered minor injuries.

The P&O Britannia cruise ship, which was carrying thousands of British passengers, crashed into another vessel on Sunday (August 27) just off the coast of Palma.

Photos and videos posted on social media from those onboard show the vessel struggling in the stormy conditions.

Sue Roberts spoke to ITV News Meridian from her cabin onboard the Britannia about the moment the cruise ship broke free from its moorings

Mallorca had been experiencing 75mph winds and torrential rain, which caused sun loungers to be blown into the air.

Passengers were told to remain inside their cabins while being told 'this is not a drill' by the captain after they heard a loud bang and saw debris floating in the water

The captain later confirmed that there was no "structural compromise" resulting from the incident.

In a statement P&O Cruises said: "We are aware of an incident involving Britannia on Sunday morning while the ship was alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

"We are working to assess the situation. The captain is keeping all guests updated. To allow our technical teams to make an assessment Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.”

P&O added that a 'small number' of people are being cared for onboard after receiving 'minor injuries'

The £473m ship, which began sailing in 2015, is the flagship of the P&O fleet based in Southampton, Hampshire.

The Britannia set sail from Southampton on August 18 for the Mediterranean cruise including stops at Cadiz and Ibiza and had been due to leave Mallorca on Sunday afternoon.

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise news

VIDEO: P&O Britannia crashes into oil tanker amid Mallorca storm

Amidst a powerful storm on Sunday morning (August 27th), the cruise ship Britannia , operated by P&O UK from Southampton England , faced a maritime incident while docked in Palma de Mallorca . The adverse weather conditions prompted the ship to break free from her moorings, resulting in a collision with a nearby freight ship.

Passengers onboard recounted the events of the storm, describing how the vessel was pushed towards the shore by tugboats while they were confined to their cabins. Minor damage was reported on the cruise ship, primarily on deck 5 . Despite the chaos, the ship's captain kept passengers informed about the situation.

Visual documentation of the incident, captured by passengers, provided a tangible record of the encounter. The storm disrupted an ongoing emergency drill, causing the ship to detach from the dockside moorings, damaging tethering lines, water hoses, and the walkway.

In this narrative of maritime turmoil, Britannia's interaction with the storm echoed a previous incident involving Cunard 's RMS Queen Mary 2 , which also faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions . 

Britannia's current cruise is 14 days, round-trip Mediterranean from Southampton. The itinerary started on August 18th and ends on September 1st, 2023.

For more Britannia incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page .

P&O Britannia cruise ship carrying thousands of British passengers crashes into another vessel in Mallorca

A Welsh woman on board said: 'We were up browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang. It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out'

• 14:30, 27 AUG 2023
• Updated 19:54, 27 AUG 2023

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A cruise ship carrying thousands of British passengers has crashed into another vessel off the coast of Palma in Mallorca.

The cause of the crash beside the Spanish island is currently unknown, but passengers on board the P&O Britannia ship - including a family from Wales who have spoken to WalesOnline - said they believed strong winds and untypically difficult weather conditions for the island moved the vessel into another in Palma on Sunday morning, August 27. Welsh holidaymakers staying in a hotel in Mallorca captured the storm destroying part of their hotel, which you can read about here and watch in the video above.

Another Welsh passenger sent WalesOnline video of the moment the ships collided, which you can see here .

Local publications reported on Sunday morning how a storm “suddenly hit” the island with heavy rain and hail accompanied by strong gusts. The Welsh passengers, who shared pictures of the collision but did not want to be named, said the Britannia ship was anchored less than a mile from the shore following the accident. Other passengers have since reported the ship has since docked again at Palma.

Pictures sent to WalesOnline from the ship show passenger decks damaged, with tables and chairs in disarray. A small number of people onboard have also suffered injuries as a result of the accident, P&O has said. A separate video sent by Welsh holidaymakers also in Mallorca shows a storm wrecking one resort on Sunday, even turning sunbeds over and into the pool and sending loungers flying through the air.

Read more: Hundreds attend large illegal rave on Welsh mountain as police swarm the area

One Welsh family onboard the Britannia said all passengers were told to remain in their cabins, while being told, “this is not a drill”, by the captain on Sunday after they heard a loud bang and saw debris floating in the water. You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here .

One Welsh woman, who is on the ship with her partner and two children, said: “We have now been told we’re allowed to leave our cabins but we can’t do anything on the ship and all the crew are in their life jackets and doing all of their emergency things. The side of the boat is battered."

“We were docked overnight in Palma and the wind was so strong our anchors broke and we blew out into another ship," she believed. "We were up browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang. It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out. We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat. The captain said: ‘Everyone to their muster stations, this is not a drill.’ Lots of people were running around looking panicked.

“Then they came around again and said everyone needs to get back to their cabins. We’re still none the wiser. I can’t see how they’ll be able to sail it again after this.”

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The Britannia set sail from Southampton on August 18 for the Mediterranean cruise including stops at Cadiz and Ibiza and had been due to leave Mallorca on Sunday afternoon. It can carry up to 3,647 passengers and is 330 metres in length. She has a crew of 1,398 and cost £473m.

“They’ve pulled us out to sea now after checking there were no fires on the ship and anchored us,” a passenger explained. “They’ve said we can leave the cabins now and we’re waiting for further updates from the captain. I think we’ll probably get off the ship now and fly back. I won’t be sailing back. As soon as this is over I’m getting off and looking for a hotel.”

Another passenger, Mark Beckwith, told WalesOnline on Sunday evening: "The captain has and is doing an amazingly calm job with the fantastic crew. It's very calm and relaxed onboard now and we are just redocking to collect the passengers whom were off the ship for the duration of the incident."

On the almost biblical weather on the island, holidaymaker Wendy Penson, from Wattsville, told us: “There is a small yacht opposite us and it ripped the sail off that. The Bali beds aren’t light, they’re made of steel, but the storm just took them like they were nothing."

A spokesperson for P&O Cruises said: “On Sunday, August 27, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca. A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre. To allow our technical teams to make an assessment Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.”

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Cruise ship sent crashing into cargo vessel as hurricane-force winds hit Majorca

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Several passengers on board a P&O cruise ship sustained minor injuries when severe stormy weather sent it smashing into a cargo vessel in Majorca.

Along with its neighbours Ibiza and Menorca, the island is being battered by hurricane-force winds and torrential rain.

Weather warnings for wind and stormy seas have been extended into Monday for the Balearics and parts of Catalonia in Spain ’s north-east.

Thousands of people sailing on the P&O ship Britannia, which is based in Southampton, got a frighteningly close look at the extreme weather this morning.

Their vessel broke free from its moorings near the island’s shore at around 11am and collided with a smaller ship nearby, causing the walkway to fall into the sea.

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According to BBC News , the captain informed passengers after the incident that ‘there’s no structural compromise, but deck five has sustained a small amount of damage’.

Britannia, which can hold 6,647 passengers and 1,350 crew, will remain in Palma while a technical assessment is completed.

One Welsh passenger told WalesOnline : ‘It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out.

‘We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat.’

P&O said a small number of people had sustained minor injuries and were being cared for on board.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

‘A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre.

‘To allow our technical teams to make an assessment, Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

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Cruise ship crashes off Mallorca as thousands of terrified passengers seen in tears

A packed cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers has crashed into an oil tanker off the coast of the beautifial island of Mallorca after it snapped its moorings.

Holidaymakers were left stranded after gales sent the P&O Britannia hurtling into another vessel into the city of Palma in the Balearic island. It was reported that a storm “suddenly hit” the island with heavy rain and hail accompanied by strong 55mph gusts. The huge ship, worth close to $600million, is currently said to be anchored less than a mile from the shore following the terrifying 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. Thousands have been left in waiting rooms as they await updates.

One woman, who is on the ship with her partner and two children, said: “We have now been told we’re allowed to leave our cabins but we can’t do anything on the ship and all the crew are in their life jackets and doing all of their emergency things. The side of the boat is battered."

She said: “We were docked overnight in Palma and the wind was so strong our anchors broke and we blew out into another ship. We were up browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang. It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out.

"We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat. The captain said: ‘Everyone, this is not a drill.’ Lots of people were running around looking panicked. Then they came around again and said everyone needs to get back to their cabins. We’re still none the wiser. I can’t see how they’ll be able to sail it again after this.”

It comes as flights across the islands face cancellations and delays over the challenging weather conditions. The Majorca Daily Bulletin reported that 84 storm-related incidents were reported inside an hour today.

A witness to the event told the publication: "What a mess. A 200-tonne ship has carried it to the other side of the harbour like it was straw. Something must surely have been damaged. It went like a missile to the other side."

The Britannia set sail from Southampton in the United Kingdom on August 18 for the Mediterranean cruise, including stops at Cadiz and Ibiza. The ship can carry up to 3,647 passengers and is 330 meters in length. She has a crew of 1,398.

A spokesperson for P&O Cruises, which runs the ship, said: “We are aware of an incident involving Britannia on Sunday morning while the ship was alongside in Palma de Mallorca. We are working to assess the situation. The captain is keeping all guests updated.”