An MSC Cruises ship carrying more than 8,500 people experienced an engine failure Monday morning while sailing between Italian ports. The Italian Coast Guard responded, but the ship's propulsion was later restored and it continued its journey.
"The ship is currently in Valetta and is sailing to its planned schedule and is following its original itinerary for the rest of this cruise," an MSC Cruises spokesperson told NTD News Wednesday.
A representative for Royal Caribbean Group, the line’s parent company, did not immediately return a request for comment from NTD News.
The vessel was carrying 6,496 passengers and 2,089 crew members at the time of the incident, according to the Italian Coast Guard. Maritime authorities said the situation remained calm and controlled throughout the emergency, with favorable weather and sea conditions supporting rescue efforts.
Representatives for the Port Authority and Italian Coast Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NTD News.
Two tugboats left from Gioia Tauro and Naples ports to aid the disabled cruise ship and guide it safely to the Campania capital, where it had been scheduled to arrive that morning. Coast Guard patrol boats CP 308 from Ponza and CP 280 from Naples were sent to the area as precautionary measures, while an AW 139-Nemo helicopter conducted aerial surveillance of the situation, Shipping Italy reported, citing local maritime authorities.
The cruise operator provided regular updates to passengers, including those preparing to board in Naples, regarding the delay. A subsequent update at 4:30 p.m. Monday confirmed the ship was sailing on its own toward Naples with an estimated arrival time of 9 p.m.
"Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide. The guest is being treated for his injuries. The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation," Royal Caribbean stated in an email to NTD News on Aug. 8.
Weather-related disruptions have also plagued the cruise industry throughout the year. The Celebrity Edge vessel experienced its own complications when powerful winds caused the ship to break away from its dock in Juneau, Alaska, during the summer. Additionally, a Norwegian Cruise Line ship separated from its pier in Catania, Sicily, during strong winds in May, resulting in a passenger injury. In February, adverse weather conditions caused the Carnival Magic to collide with a pier in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.