WATCH: Cruise ship almost collides with million dollar mansion
It’s not every day you take your trash outside, look up and see a humongous cruise ship towering over you. But that’s exactly what happened to Florida couple Bill and Yasmine Todhunter.
The Todhunters were at home in their waterfront mansion (god, we’re jealous), when Celebrity Cruises ship Celebrity Equinox came dangerously close to running aground and into their house (not so jealous now).
Yasmine Todhunter filmed the incident, as husband Bill waved his arms around, we’re assuming to get the Captain’s attention, although we doubt he would’ve been able to see him from a few hundred metres up.
“I looked up and all I could see was the bow of the vessel, and it was towering over the house,” Bill Todhunter told ABC affiliate WPLG in Florida.
“We’ve been here for six years. We’ve never seen anything like that. We’ve never seen anything that close.”
Celebrity Cruises, the company that owns the Equinox cruise ship, released a statement saying, “As Equinox departed on Friday, March 3, she was in her assigned channel at all times under the guidance of specialized local port pilots.
“The ship operated safely and did not put guests or crew at risk. We can also confirm the ship did not touch bottom.”
Per ABC News US, Sarah Bascom, a spokesperson for the Port Everglades Pilots and Florida Harbor Pilots Association, backed up the company’s account of events.
“Due to the strong winds and current at the time, the cruise ship in question came closer than usual to the side of the channel, as shown in the video.
“The local Port Everglades harbor pilot maintained navigational control of the vessel throughout this maneuver, skillfully keeping it within the channel, then proceeded to safely guide the vessel out to sea,” Bascom told ABC News.
“As stated by the cruise line, the vessel did not touch bottom. The use of bow thrusters in the channel disturbs the water and routinely churns up silt and mud, as shown in the video,” she added.
Image: Facebook
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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