Cruise Ship Passenger Killed in Italy as Gangway Collapses

A 62-year-old woman boarding an MSC Cruises vessel in Genoa, Italy on Saturday was killed when the gangway to the ship collapsed.

The metal walkway to the 3,300-passenger MSC Splendida crashed more than 30 feet into the sea, taking the woman and another passenger with it.

The woman, Maria Mercedes Bonastre from Barcelona was killed instantly when her head hit the dock. The other passenger, who fell, identified as the woman's husband, Fausto Del Charro Arraza, 65 reportedly suffered severe head injuries.

An investigation is underway however, the preliminary conclusion is that the walkway was not sufficiently fastened to resist the choppy water at the port.

The incident occurred as passengers were boarding the one-year-old ship for a seven-night Mediterranean cruise.