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Chaos in the port: Norwegian Epic cruise ship breaks loose!
Strong weather triggers an incident on the Norwegian Epic in Catania: two passengers fall into the water, rescue workers are on duty.
Chaos in the port: Norwegian Epic cruise ship breaks loose!
On May 30, 2025, a dramatic incident occurred on the cruise ship Norwegian Epic of the shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line in the port of Catania, Sicily. At 1 p.m. local time, the ship was blown away by strong gusts of wind as several mooring lines snapped one after the other. This led to a dangerous situation in which two passengers, a married couple, fell into the harbor basin.
During the incident, which was caused by wind speeds of around 20 knots (40 km/h) and gusts of up to 30 knots (55 km/h), passengers heard loud noises and screams. One passenger described the noise level during the incident as being enormous and reported the tense atmosphere on board. Immediately after the passengers fell, his wife's husband jumped to the rescue.
Rescue operations and injuries
The quick reaction of the 118 emergency services, including police, coast guard and on-board personnel, prevented anything worse from happening. Both passengers were rescued with minor injuries and taken for medical examination. They were reportedly conscious at the time of their rescue.
The incident also caused damage to the ship and the port. A bollard was torn out, shifting concrete slabs and a crack in the pier. After the ship returned to the harbor, passengers experienced chaotic scenes.
Passengers in the queue
Over 3,600 passengers were stranded on the shore for more than seven hours as port authorities closed the checkpoint. No boarding or disembarking was possible and passengers expressed frustration with poor communication from Norwegian Cruise Line. During this time, only one toilet and no food or drinks were available to passengers.
Passengers were forced to wait for weather conditions to improve before the ship could return and the damaged mooring lines could be replaced. The passengers were only able to board the Norwegian Epic again in the evening.
Catania, known for its Italian cuisine and historic old town, is a popular short break destination. Nevertheless, the events surrounding the Norwegian Epic have raised questions about safety in moderate wind conditions. The shipping company has not yet made an official statement about the incident.
This incident was a challenging experience for everyone involved, but in retrospect the rapid rescue efforts and the eventual safe return of the passengers on board appear to have averted the greatest damage. Further information can be found on Rosenheim24 and ABC News be read.