A P&O cruise ship crashed into the side of a Spanish-owned MR1 tanker on Sunday after its moorings reportedly snapped due to strong winds.
The collision between the Britannia (built 2015) and the 37,000-dwt Castille De Arteaga (built 2019) occurred off the coast of Palma, Mallorca.
P&O said a small number of people sustained minor injuries, reported the BBC news website.
“A couple of minutes later the captain came over the speaker asking all guests to return to their rooms until further instructions,” one passenger told the UK broadcaster.
“Huge respect for the captain and all the staff as they managed to stay calm and keep everyone updated.
“The captain made announcements every 10-15 minutes once we were back in our cabins and they did a great job in a stressful situation.”
A P&O Cruises spokesperson told the BBC: “On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca.
“A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre.
“To allow our technical teams to make an assessment, Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.”
Latest AIS data shows that the cruise ship remains alongside, while the chemical/product tanker has been out to anchor in the nearby bay.
The Maltese-flagged tanker is owned by Spanish shipowner Elcano and was built at China’s Shanhaiguan New Shipbuilding Industry Co.
