Cruise ship passengers injured in New Zealand storm

Over 40 passengers were injured when their cruise ship was hit by powerful winds and seven-metre waves off the west coast of New Zealand, cruise line officials reported on Friday.

The director of corporate affairs for P&O Cruises, Sandy Olsen, confirmed that three passengers that had suffered broken bones were transferred to an Auckland hospital after the cruise ship, called the Pacific Sun, docked in the north island port on Friday.

The cruise ship was hit by the storm late on Wednesday.

According to the P&O spokesperson, the vessel was never in real danger, although it did sustain “internal damage.”

Most injuries involved cuts and bruises, with some passengers requiring stitches. Several elderly passengers were seen leaving the ship with their arms bound up in slings. In all, there were 1732 passengers and 671 crew members on board the cruise ship.

A couple from New Zealand’s north island on board the ship said that a hug wave slammed into the side of the ship and threw them around “like human rag dolls.”

Two women who reside on the west coast of New Zealand said that being on board during the storm was “like being in a disaster movie.”

Another passenger commented: “In the dining rooms the tables were bolted down but nothing else was and everything just went flying. People were desperately trying to grab hold of things to keep safe.”

And others reported that crockery and glasses were flying through the air and furniture was sliding across the decks as the ship was buffeted by the heavy waves.

www.pocruises.com