Greek authorities have arrested the Italian master of a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship after a passenger fell into the water during a mooring incident at Port Kerkyra (Corfu Island, Greece).
The vessel was not officially identified by name, and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident remains ongoing.
The incident occurred late on Tuesday, June 30th, while strong winds affected the cruise port, causing the vessel's mooring lines to part as it lay alongside the quay. As the ship moved away from the berth, the gangway reportedly shifted out of position, causing a 56-year-old passenger from New Zealand to lose her footing and fall into the harbour.
Members of the ship's crew, assisted by port personnel, immediately launched a rescue operation and recovered the passenger from the water. She received initial medical treatment at the scene before being transported by ambulance to Corfu General Hospital, where she was treated for minor facial and bodily injuries.
Following the incident, the 56-year-old Italian Captain was taken into custody on allegations of endangering passengers.
Greek authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the failure of the mooring arrangement and assessing whether appropriate safety measures were implemented in light of the prevailing weather conditions.
Despite the accident, the ship was permitted to continue its scheduled voyage after the passenger had been rescued and medical assistance provided.
The investigation by the Hellenic Coast Guard remains in progress and is expected to determine whether further action will be taken.
Note: According to CruiseMapper's AIS tracking data, the vessel involved was NCL's Norwegian Viva. However, this has not been officially confirmed by the Greek authorities or the cruise line, and no independent evidence has been released to verify the ship's identity.
A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line provided the following statement:
“We’ve been made aware of several reports regarding an incident that occurred with one of our vessels earlier this week. Due to strong winds, one of our ships separated from the pier while docked in Corfu, Greece. As part of the standard local investigative process following incidents of this nature, the captain provided a statement to the local authorities. He fully cooperated with the investigation, was released without restriction following his statement and immediately resumed his duties aboard the vessel to prepare for the ship’s departure. The safety of our guests and crew remains our top priority, and the ship continued its voyage as planned with only minor adjustments to call times.”