One person was killed and four injured when a giant wave broke several windows on a cruise ship sailing in a storm south of Cape Horn, South America’s southernmost point, Thursday, reported Thursday. Norwegian company and Argentine Justice.
The accident occurred on Tuesday, November 29, at 22:40 local time (same time in Brasilia), when a large wave crashed into the Norwegian-flagged Viking Polaris, breaking several glass panels in the cabins.
A source from Viking company in Norway explained that the ship encountered a giant wave while cruising towards Ushuaia, 3,200 km south of Buenos Aires.
Without specifying the gender of the victim, the source said, “We confirm with great sadness that a passenger died following the incident. We have informed the guest’s family and conveyed our deepest condolences.”
Four other tourists were injured but their lives were not in danger. According to the company, they were treated by the medical team on board.
Viking Polaris was slightly damaged in the accident and returned to the port of Ushuaia, where it was anchored, on Wednesday afternoon, according to AFP.
France-Presse also consulted the Argentine Navy Governorate (an equivalent body to the Port Authority in Brazil), which did not provide information on the case. A forensic source said the investigation was the responsibility of the 2nd criminal branch of the federal court in Ushuaia, the state capital of Tierra del Fuego, but did not provide further details.
The company said it was investigating the facts and working with passengers and crew to organize their return journey.
Viking Polaris, which has other voyages planned for this season, was launched in 2022 and is the smallest of the Norwegian company. It has a capacity of 378 passengers and a crew of 256, according to the company’s website.
Two weeks ago, two more tourists died when their World Explorer cruise ship was crossing Antarctica when the semi-rigid boat on which they were on a tour capsized near the shore and both fell into the water, an incident still under investigation.
The victims were two American men, aged 76 and 80, according to the Argentine Navy.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.