MSC Bellissima accidents and incidents

05 December 2024Propulsion / Power Loss

On December 5, 2024, after leaving homeport Keelung (Taiwan/Dec 4th) for a 5-day voyage, the ship encountered an engine failure that prevented the departure from homeport Naha (Okinawa Japan). As a result, ~1880 Taiwanese passengers remained stranded.

In response to the disruption, MSC arranged charter flights from Naha on December 8th, to repatriate the Taiwanese passengers to Taiwan. Passengers who opted to arrange their own return travel were offered up to NT$12,380 (~US$400) in reimbursement for transportation expenses incurred outside Japan.

Additionally, all affected travelers were offered a full refund (of the cruise fare paid) and discount vouchers for future travel with MSC. All passengers booked in premium-class staterooms received vouchers covering 50% of future cruise fares, while economy-class cabin passengers received NT$2,320 vouchers, valid for use on any MSC voyage through December 31st, 2025.

As the vessel remained docked in Port Naha for the necessary repairs, the accident also disrupted the plans of ~2100 passengers scheduled to embark in Keelung on December 8th. The canceled 4-day itinerary (roundtrip from Keelung, Dec 8-12) was scheduled to visit Japan's port cities Hirara (Miyakojima Island), Naha (Okinawa Island) and Sakishima-Yaeyama (Ishigakijima Island).

01 February 2024Crew / Passenger Crimes

(overboard) On the evening of February 1, 2024, while MSC Bellissima was berthed at Port Minato Town (Naha City), a male passenger went intentionally overboard/jumped from the ship.

The man (Duman Alper, a Turkish national) was soon retrieved from the waters and arrested for illegal landing, violating Japan's Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

The incident occurred during the 5-day "Asia Cruise" (itinerary January 30-February 4, roundtrip from Keelung, Taiwan China) visiting Japan's port cities Ishigaki (Ishigakijima Island/Jan 31), Naha (Feb 1-2/overnight) and Hirara (Miyakojima Island/Feb 3).

30 October 2022Other Incidents

(overboard) On October 30, 2022, was initiated a search and rescue operation for a missing male passenger who went overboard from the liner docked in Port Barcelona. MSC Bellissima alerted Guardia Civil (Spain's Civil Guard) about the overboard man at ~6:40 am (~5:40 UTC).

For the operation, the port contacted SASEMAR/Salvamento Marítimo (Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima) and the agency dispatched one helicopter and several rescue boats to the entrance to Bocana Sud (El Prat de Llobregat).

The S&R operation also joined teams from Bombers de Barcelona (Fire Department) and Cruz Roja Espanola (Red Cross). They found a lifejacket with a light signal (launched by a crew member) but not a body. The search was suspended on the same day due to the lack of evidence that there was really any person missing. The ship's CCTV cameras and overboard sensors didn't detect anyone falling and on the voyage, there were no passengers/crew missing.

The operation was coordinated by SASEMAR from Madrid. The participating marine vessels were 6x (1x Fire Department boat, 1x Civil Guard patrol boat, and 4x boats from Port Barcelona).

The accident occurred during a 7-day Mediterranean voyage roundtrip from Genoa (itinerary Oct 25 - Nov 5) with call ports Livorno, Naples, Valencia, Barcelona (port stay 8 am - 7 pm), and Marseille.

March 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) Before MSC Cruises suspended passenger shipping operations globally and fleetwide (on March 14), the MSC liner Bellissima finished a 7-day Persian Gulf cruise (itinerary March 7-14) roundtrip from homeport Dubai (Port Rashid, UAE) visiting the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island) and Oman (Muscat and Khasab).

Following the passenger debarkation in Dubai (March 14) were reported a total of 5 COVID-19 (Coronavirus) cases, including 3 passengers and 2 crew.

On March 21, India's state Telangana reported a 33-year-old male crew (who was repatriated from Bellissima) tested Coronavirus-positive. On March 24, Portugal's Azores Islands (autonomous region) reported 3x former Bellissima cruisers (Azoreans) tested Coronavirus-positive. On April 2, a 22-year-old male crew - repatriated from Bellissima and self-quarantined in Trappeto (Sicily Island, Italy) - tested Coronavirus-positive.