Passenger killed, multiple injured after “rogue wave” hits cruise ship
A cruise passenger has died and four others have been injured after a “rogue wave” hit Viking Polaris while on its way to Ushuaia, Argentina.
The ship was struck by the wave on Tuesday at 10:40pm local time, sustaining “limited damage” and arrived in port in Ushuaia without further incident the afternoon of 30 November, according to the cruise line.
“It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident,” the cruise line said in a statement.
“We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies. We will continue to offer our full support to the family in the hours and days ahead.”
Viking described the four other guests’ injuries as “non-life-threatening”, and said they were treated by the ship’s onboard doctor and medical staff.
“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities,” the cruise line continued.
“Our focus remains on the safety and well-being of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel.”
The deceased passenger has been identified as a 62-year-old woman from the US, according to ABC News, and was killed by broken glass when the wave hit cabin windows.
A rogue wave is an extreme storm wave that seems to come out of nowhere, often twice the size of surrounding waves and travelling in the opposite direction.
As a result the ship’s next scheduled departure, the 5-17 December Antarctic Explorer itinerary, has been cancelled.
All impacted guests and their travel advisors have been notified directly by Viking Customer Relations.
Ushuaia, the port the ship was travelling to, is a popular launch point for Antarctic expedition cruises.
The tragic news comes two weeks after two people died during a shore excursion on a Quark Expeditions cruise after a zodiac boat capsized.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
antarctic argentina rogue wave Ushuaia Viking PolarisLatest News
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