An American woman was killed and four cruise ship passengers injured when a “rogue wave” struck a cruise ship sailing near the southern tip of South America on Thursday on an Antarctic cruise, the company said.
The unidentified 62-year-old woman was struck by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows on the Viking Polaris ship Tuesday night during a storm, Argentine authorities said. The ship sustained limited damage and reached Ushuaia, 1,926 miles south of Buenos Aires, the next day.
“It is with great sadness that we confirm that a guest has passed away following the incident,” Viking said in a statement. “We have notified the guest’s family and share our deepest condolences.”
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One person died and four other passengers were injured when a giant wave broke several windows on a cruise ship sailing in Antarctic waters during a storm on November 29, Norwegian company and Argentine judicial sources said on December 1.
(Alexis Delelisi/AFP via Getty Images)
The four injured passengers were treated on board the ship by a doctor and medical personnel for non-life-threatening injuries, the company said.
The ship itself sustained “limited damage,” Viking said.
“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities,” the company said. “Our focus continues to be the safety and well-being of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange the return journey.”
The red waves, also known as “extreme storm waves” by scientists, are more than twice the size of the surrounding waves and often come unexpectedly from directions other than the prevailing wind and waves, according to the National Administration. Oceanic and Atmospheric.
Suzie Gooding, who was on the ship when the incident occurred, told WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina, that it felt like the ship had hit an iceberg.
“Everything was fine until the rogue wave came, and it was sudden. Shocking,” he said. “We didn’t know if we should prepare our equipment to jump ship.”
The Viking Polaris ship is seen anchored in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Ushuaia, southern Argentina, on December 1, 2022. – One person died and four other passengers were injured.
(Alexis Delelisi/AFP via Getty Images)
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Viking said it has canceled the ship’s next scheduled departure, the Antarctic Explorer scheduled to sail December 5-17. The Viking Polaris, a vessel that has luxury facilities and was built in 2022, has a capacity for 378 passengers and 256 crew members.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
