A P&O cruise ship with thousands of passengers on board collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Palma de Mallorca in Spain on Sunday, injuring a small number of people.
Videos posted to social media showed the Britannia, the flagship of the P&O fleet, swaying in a storm that battered the Mediterranean island, causing the mooring holding the ship to snap.
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 after storm battered #Spain pic.twitter.com/wBZ1cHiGmZ
— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) August 28, 2023
A P&O Cruises spokesperson said in a statement Monday that the Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while docked in Mallorca, which saw a small number of individuals sustain minor injuries. They were being cared for by the onboard medical center.
The ship will remain docked to allow a technical team to make an assessment of the damage, according to the statement.
The strong winds took passengers and crew unprepared, causing injuries from falls or flying debris. The captain asked all guests to return to their rooms until further instructions and gave updates every 10 to 15 minutes, according to a report by the Guardian.
The Britannia cost £473 million ($596 million) and can carry up to 3,647 passengers.