Chiara Nava The vacation of more than 2.400 passengers ended before it even began. The Mein Schiff 3 , a cruise ship operated by TUI Cruises, will not depart for the approximately three-week voyage to the Canary Islands , originally scheduled after a stop in the port of Bremerhaven, Germany.
The accident occurred on Sunday 25 October, during manoeuvres to leave the dock.
The ship struck two docked container ships , sustaining such damage that repairs were required at a shipyard. Despite the collision, no one was injured. German authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether the captain complied with safety requirements during the voyage.
Cruise ship collides with two container ships: video of the collision in the German port
The collision was captured by an eyewitness in a video verified by the German news agency dpa. The footage shows the Mein Schiff 3 moving away from the quay with the assistance of tugboats, while weather conditions made maneuvering difficult . The distance from one of the docked container ships gradually decreased until the impact.
At the moment of the collision, the camera begins to shake. A loud noise is heard and some debris is visible. " I think the journey ends here ," comments a woman witnessing the scene. The images also show the damage sustained by the cruise ship , particularly to the lifeboats and the structures used to maneuver them.
According to police reconstruction, the accident occurred around 5:30 PM. A gust of wind pushed the ship into the two container ships , despite the presence of tugboats. During departure, the wind was gusting at around 40 kilometers per hour, while gusts of up to 95 kilometers per hour were recorded in the area.
Cruise ship collides with container ship: millions of euros in damage, no injuries
The collision involved three vessels . The container ship that sustained the most damage has a gash approximately ten meters long on its side, while the second merchant vessel is said to have suffered less serious injuries. On Mein Schiff 3 , several lifeboats and their handling structures were damaged.
Initial police estimates indicate that the overall cost of repairs could reach several million euros . No water infiltration has been reported on the boats, and no injuries have been reported.
The cruise ship was carrying 2.428 passengers and 922 crew members, for a total of 3.350. Following the accident, Mein Schiff 3 returned to the Bremerhaven dock for technical inspections. Initially, passengers and crew were allowed to remain on board pending further announcements.
Three-week cruise to the Canary Islands cancelled
On Monday, October 26, the decision to cancel the voyage was made. After initial technical assessments, TUI Cruises announced that the ship required repairs at a shipyard and was therefore unable to depart for the Canary Islands itinerary , which would last approximately three weeks. The return to Bremerhaven was scheduled for November 14. Passengers were asked to leave the ship and organize their return home. The cancellation thus has significant consequences for thousands of travelers and is forcing the company to review the ship's schedule.
In parallel with the technical inspections, the German authorities have initiated administrative proceedings against the ship's captain . The aim is to establish whether the duties of care and the conditions required for safe navigation were respected during the maneuvers to leave the port. According to a port authority official, there is no automatic prohibition on departure based on a specific wind speed. It is up to the captain to assess the weather conditions and determine whether the maneuver can be performed safely. The investigations will determine any liability for the accident.