No doubt you read about the Costa Europa, the cruise ship that hit the pier in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt resulting in the death of 3 crew members and injurying 2 more crew and 4 passengers. A few days later the world watched in horror as home video showed a succession of three 26 foot waves hit the Louis Majesty off the coast of Spain killing 2 crew members and injuring several passengers. Like me, you may have wondered what happened and could such accidents be avoided?

I asked our on board, professional marine expert, the master of the Seven Seas Mariner, Captain Felice Patruno.  Not having access to the official reports, his speculation was in the case of the Costa ship, strong winds during maneuvering slammed the bow of the ship into the concrete pier. The crew that were killed, more than likely, were in cabins located along the hull. The hull was compromised by the impact producing a gaping hole that ripped through the thin metal hull, the only thing that protected the crew from the pier. Passenger injury was probably from the force of the impact which could have been strong enough to throw people to the floor. It is not known if the ship was under its own power or being assisted by tugs.

There is conflicting information around the second ship. One report said that the Louis Majesty left Cartagena, Spain in bad weather; a low pressure had been sitting over the area for days. Another report, this time from a passenger on board, said the day was fair and shortly before the wave people were sunbathing on the decks. Eye witnesses said that the ship was hit by three waves in excess of 25 feet. The force of the waves broke plate glass  windows and and breached doors pouring water down stairways and through deck floors. Two crew members died and passengers were injured. Though there were outbreaks of hysteria order was maintained and the ship returned to Barcelona.

Everyone wants to know, was there anything that could have been done to avoid these incidents?  Though wind was a factor in the Costa Europa accident, it will be left to the authorities to determine if human error figured in as well. How fast was the ship going on approach? What was the role of the port pilot? Were tugs involved? All these things could effect docking. Unfortunately, in the case of the Louis Majesty, the ship was hit by a freak wave, an unpredictable force of nature.  For years freak or rogue waves were thought to be the stuff of salty sea stories but now oceanographers know these waves are real and form as a result of two short waves that join into one compound wave that can rise over 100 feet. The Louis Majesty was hit by three 26 foot waves that hit in rapid succession causing more damage than one big wave. Such waves do not show up on radar or weather reports and are therefore impossible to predict. Were the ship to have had a direct hit on the bow she would have faired much better; unfortunately the Louis Majesty was hit abeam which exacerbated the damage.

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