Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas recently encountered severe weather on its journey from Barcelona to Miami, causing chaos on board. Strong winds and rough seas tossed bottles off bar shelves and overturned tables in the casino, sending passengers scrambling for safety. The turbulence struck Thursday night, shortly after departing Spain's Castilian coast, according to Cruise Mapper. The vessel was near Tenerife, the largest of Spain's Canary Islands when it was hit by an "unexpected wind gust," Royal Caribbean Cruises said in a statement. The wind caused the ship to experience "sudden movement," the cruise line said.
Dramatic footage from onboard the cruise ship captures passengers stumbling to maintain balance as the ship tilts severely to one side, leading to objects falling from tables and shelves across the bar.
Here's the video:
The wind jumped from 46 mph to 86 mph, a passenger on the vessel told CBS News.
Another passenger Jonathan Parrish recounted, ''I think there was about five minutes in there where everybody was wondering what was going on, but as soon as the captain came on and made the announcement of what had happened, (it) kind of gave you a sense of calmness.''
Following the incident, passengers were requested to return to their cabins for a headcount and safety verification. Meanwhile, the Royal Caribbean confirmed one passenger sustained injuries requiring further medical attention. The ship will make an unscheduled stop in Las Palmas, Spain, for medical disembarkation.
"One of our guests was injured and requires additional medical care, so the ship will make a call in Las Palmas, Spain, for medical disembarkation. We are communicating these changes directly with our guests," the cruise line wrote.
The Explorer of the Seas, a majestic 1,020-foot cruise liner, boasts an impressive capacity for 4,290 guests and 1,185 crew members. Built in 2000 and registered in the Bahamas, this Royal Caribbean vessel has been sailing the seas for over two decades. Onboard amenities include an ice skating rink, mini-golf course, rock climbing wall and 15-passenger decks.
It is scheduled to arrive in Miami in two weeks, according to Cruise Mapper data.
