MSC Cruise Ship Accident In Venice With A Tourist Boat

[Keith1010]

FYI.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7095867/Cruise-ship-collides-tourist-river-boat-dock-busy-Venice-canal.html

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

A video from the ship.

 

 

Another view.

 

 

Keith

[puppycanducruise]

Wow.  I just read about this on the CBC website.

 

[dogs4fun]

Yes ... wow. Even after viewing the 2 videos above, I still don't understand how this happened. There are multiple online articles and videos - read that 4 people hurt on the Michelangelo.

Edited June 2, 2019 by dogs4fun

[puppycanducruise]

The report I just heard on the CBC radio, said that the MSC ship was having engine issues, and tug boats were assisting it.  However, a cable from one of the tugs snapped.

They said there are 5 injured.  Hope there are no casualties.

[dogs4fun]

Ah - now it makes sense. 

[AnhaltER1960]

2 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

The report I just heard on the CBC radio, said that the MSC ship was having engine issues, and tug boats were assisting it.  However, a cable from one of the tugs snapped.

They said there are 5 injured.  Hope there are no casualties.

 

I hope, too, that there are no casualties and the injured recover soon. 

 

The "engine issues", however, are standard practice for cruise ships being pulled in (and out of) Venice port. Tow boats pull the cruise ships, who have their engines not running. This is to protect the sensitive medieval embankments and house fundaments from waves created by large ship engines. So after the tug failed the MSC Opera was not maneuverable.

[OCruisers]

2 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

The report I just heard on the CBC radio, said that the MSC ship was having engine issues, and tug boats were assisting it.  However, a cable from one of the tugs snapped.

They said there are 5 injured.  Hope there are no casualties.

 

Those cables do sometimes snap.  Hope no one was badly injured.

[Lois R]

The ship slammed into UNIWORLD's "River Countess"....out of all the riverboats in the world, I am sailing her in October.

Hoping by then, she will be able to go on as scheduled.

 

And yes, certainly hope everyone will be ok.

[cruisemom42]

3 minutes ago, Lois R said:

The ship slammed into UNIWORLD's "River Countess"....out of all the riverboats in the world, I am sailing her in October.

Hoping by then, she will be able to go on as scheduled.

 

And yes, certainly hope everyone will be ok.

 

Oh my goodness -- what are the chances??  I thought about your trip when I first heard the news.  

[Lois R]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Oh my goodness -- what are the chances??  I thought about your trip when I first heard the news.  

I have a friend who is supposed sail her next month!!  She emailed me this morning...….I probably have a better chance of sailing than she does.   I wonder what steps Uniworld is taking.....since it just happened today.

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, Lois R said:

I have a friend who is supposed sail her next month!!  She emailed me this morning...….I probably have a better chance of sailing than she does.   I wonder what steps Uniworld is taking.....since it just happened today.

 

Good luck to you (and your friend). Let us know what you hear from Uniworld.

[Lois R]

Thanks.....to be honest, I called Uniworld this morning.  The gal was very nice but she had no solid information to provide.

The owners are aware of the accident (of course). I will wait a few days and call again later this week.

[Keith1010]

Lois hopefully it will all work out.  The good news is you have time on your side.  

 

I read that guests were supposed to board today and they have been put up in hotels.

 

A technical team from Uniworld is on its way to Venice.

 

Keith

[Lois R]

Hi Keith, yes......4 months till my cruise.  And I read the same thing. So folks should be in Venice tomorrow (one would think).

[Second seating]

We had a great cruise on the River Countess in October 2013.

Edited June 3, 2019 by Second seating

[TLCOhio]

Yes, there is much to consider and for what is involved about Venice, its future, etc.  Hopeful things work out for Lois and others with your upcoming cruises involving Venice.   It's an amazing city!!  But, its history and architecture create unique challenges. 

 

Venice is in the news right now!!  But, not the best publicity and these issues raise added, future questions.  From the BBC this morning, they had this headline: “Venice crash captain ordered 'all procedures to avoid impact' ” with these story highlights: “A recording has emerged of the captain of a cruise ship describing an engine fault causing the vessel to crash into a tourist boat in Venice on Sunday.  In a conversation with the harbour master, the captain of the MSC Opera says that dropping two anchors was not enough because the engine was 'locked'.   'We have activated all possible procedures to avoid impact,'  he says.  The crash left four people hurt and has reignited calls to ban large vessels from the city's Giudecca canal.”

 

As to the government battles/debates, here is what was shared in this BBC story: "The incident has sparked a row between Italy's two ruling parties. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of the right-wing League party blamed the populist Five Star Movement for stifling progress to resolve the issue.  Speaking at a rally in Tivoli, Mr Salvini said a solution to prevent such accidents - the enlargement of part of the canal - had been developed and shared last year, but the plans had been blocked "because a 'no' was received from a ministry, and it was not a ministry of the League". The Five Star Movement said in response that "if the League has a plan to solve everything tomorrow, they should present it", adding that they had seen no proposal from the party."

 

Full story at:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48496412

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 246,329 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Here is the BBC graphic that shows the exact location where this crash happened in historic Venice.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

Edited June 3, 2019 by TLCOhio

[pe4all]

We are sailing on the NCL Star out of Venice on 8/4.  Hoping the ban on large ships does not take place - not just for our sake, but for tourism in Venice also.  They knew there was an engine problem coming into port, and with the cable breaking on one of the tugs - just a "freak" accident.  

[chipmaster]

6 hours ago, pe4all said:

We are sailing on the NCL Star out of  Venice on 8/4.  Hoping the ban on large ships does not take place - not just for our sake, but for tourism in Venice also.  They knew there was an engine problem coming into port, and with the cable breaking on one of the tugs - just a "freak" accident.  

 

Well I'm sailing end of June so I'll predate you by a week, LOL.  I really enjoyed my sail away the last time, hope like you they don't change

 

This sound like on bad series of things, almost like the MAX ( multiple failures ) but can imagine that the captain really couldn't do anything as momentum w/o control is a physics problem that can't be fixed

[slidergirl]

9 hours ago, pe4all said:

We are sailing on the NCL Star out of Venice on 8/4.  Hoping the ban on large ships does not take place - not just for our sake, but for tourism in Venice also.  They knew there was an engine problem coming into port, and with the cable breaking on one of the tugs - just a "freak" accident.  

Venice doesn't need all the tourism that large ships bring.  They are already overrun with day trippers coming in via train.   I was there a while ago in February 2003, so pre-big ships.  Even then it was unbearably crowded during the day - it got much better in the evenings.  

[Keith1010]

Information on the Uniworld's River Countess.

 

Keith

 

http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/uniworld-cancels-six-cruises-of-riverboat-rammed-by-msc-ship.html?utm_content=Uniworld cancels six cruises of riverboat rammed by MSC ship&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Seatrade Cruise News&utm_contact=19283329&utm_term=Newsletter_Seatrade Cruise Weekly News&utm_campaign=146628

[Lois R]

Hi Keith, thanks for the link.  Looks like my October cruise will be good to go

[Keith1010]

Lois you are very welcome.  

 

Keith