Passenger on Norwegian Escape records moments when ship is hit by ‘extreme wind gust’
The sound of glass breaking and people screaming could be heard as tables and chairs slid across the floor. Shocked passengers struggled to stay on their feet.
The 40-second video shot by cruise passenger AJ Black shows what happened as a gust of wind caused the Norwegian Escape to lean to one side Sunday.
Norwegian Cruise Line, which is headquartered in Miami, said on Twitter Monday that an “extreme gust of wind” hit the ship, which had just left New York, just before midnight Sunday. The company estimated the force as 100 knots, which is a wind speed of about 115 mph.
Several people were injured, the company said, and “received immediate attention or are being treated by the ship’s medical staff.”
Cruise passengers described the weather encounter as “crazy” on social media. Pictures show furniture scattered throughout the ship.
The rough weather, however, did not damage the ship or impact the itinerary for the seven-day cruise, the cruise line said.
According to Norwegian’s website, the ship, which holds 4,266 passengers and 1,733 crew members at capacity, was headed toward Port Canaveral, before making stops in the Bahamas.
This story was originally published March 5, 2019 at 6:08 PM.
